Palestinian Activist Ramy Shaath Faces Deportation Bid in France

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Paris: Ramy Shaath, a Palestinian activist, is facing deportation from France, according to his lawyer, after officials charged him with posing a 'serious threat to public order.'

According to his lawyer Damia Taharraoui, Shaath, a pivotal figure in Egypt's 2011 uprising and a co-founder of the nation's chapter of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israel, was notified by the Nanterre prefecture that deportation procedures were in progress.

French officials identified Shaath's ties to pro-Palestinian groups in France, particularly Urgence Palestine, and comments he made during protests against the Gaza War, according to papers obtained by AFP.

Between 2019 and 2022, Shaath was taken into custody in Egypt for more than 900 days before his release and allowed to migrate to France, a decision that French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed at the time.

According to reports, an earlier French investigation into claims he was "defending terrorism" in connection with remarks he made during a protest in Paris in 2023 was concluded in October 2024 without any further action.

On May 21, Shaath is expected to appear before a deportation committee. His lawyer argued that he cannot be deported to either the Palestinian territories due to the continuing conflict or Egypt because he is no longer an Egyptian citizen.