A group of U.N. special rapporteurs has raised concerns about a proposed French law to combat antisemitism, warning that it could infringe on free expression protections, ahead of a debate on the measure in the French National Assembly scheduled for next week.
The legislation, Bill 575, was introduced by National Assembly deputy Caroline Yadan and seeks to address what it describes as “renewed forms” of antisemitism. The measure would expand existing laws on incitement and the glorification of terrorism, including speech that uses Israel as a proxy to target Jews, and draws in part on the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s working definition of antisemitism.
The bill was passed by an 18-16 vote in the Law Committee of the National Assembly, the lower house of the parliament, in January, following a three-hour debate and substantive revisions, including the removal of a provision criminalizing calls for the destruction of a country.
A 2025 report by the French Interior Ministry showed more than half of the nearly 2,500 anti-religious actions committed in France in 2025 were against Jews, despite Jews composing less than 1% of the country’s population.
In an April 1 letter to French President Emmanuel Macron, the five U.N. special rapporteurs, independent experts appointed by the U.N. Human Rights Council, said the bill raises “significant concerns” about compatibility with France’s obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, particularly protections for freedom of expression. They warned that vaguely defined provisions could lead to arbitrary or overly broad enforcement.
Among the signatories are Ben Saul, U.N. special rapporteur on counterterrorism and human rights, who has previously criticized Israeli government actions and supported boycott and sanctions-based measures against the Jewish state, and Irene Khan, special rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression, who has drawn scrutiny for downplaying antisemitism in debates over pro-Palestinian protests on U.S. college campuses.
The proposal has drawn significant public attention in France, including a petition opposing the bill that has garnered hundreds of thousands of signatures, reflecting concerns over its potential impact on free speech.
Yadan, who represents the Eighth constituency for French residents overseas, which includes Israel, has defended the measure, saying it is consistent with French law and international human-rights standards, and necessary to more clearly define and combat contemporary antisemitism.
