Paris (QNN)- Palestinian-Egyptian activist Rami Shaath, a co-founder of the Egyptian branch of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement (BDS), faces deportation from France as authorities classify his presence as a “serious threat to public order,” according to his lawyer.
Shaath, the son of senior Palestinian politician and negotiator Nabil Shaath, spent nearly 900 days in detention in Egypt between 2019 and 2022. Egypt's Sisi regime accused him of “inciting unrest against the state.” Egyptian authorities later released him and transferred him to France on the condition that he renounce his Egyptian nationality.
His lawyer, Damia Tahraoui, said police in Nanterre informed her of plans to begin deportation proceedings. A commission is set to hear Shaath’s case on May 21, but authorities can issue and enforce a deportation order at any time, she warned.
French police in Nanterre reportedly base their case on Shaath’s ties to pro-Palestinian activists and groups in France, including “Urgence Palestine,” which he co-founded after the Gaza genocide.
Authorities also accuse him of making "inflammatory political statements." During a protest in Paris in November 2023, Shaath condemned Israel’s “criminal occupation of Gaza” and stated that Israeli forces were targeting civilians, including hospitals and detainees.
Shaath rejects the accusations and says his activism focuses on ending violence and securing accountability. He has taken part in multiple demonstrations calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, an end to the genocide, and international sanctions against Israel.
He also stresses that French authorities are trying to silence him after previously intervening to secure his release from Egyptian detention.
Shaath was detained in Egypt from July 2019 until 2022, when he was released to France in a deal that included the renunciation of his Egyptian citizenship. Egyptian authorities had accused him of belonging to a banned group and “spreading false news.” His wife, French national Céline Lebrun, was deported to Paris on the day of his arrest.
In April 2020, Egypt placed Shaath on a terrorism list, a decision criticized by human rights organizations and UN experts. Rights groups continue to accuse the Egyptian government of widespread repression and mass imprisonment of political detainees.
