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• Immigration and the ‘crime’ of solidarity

• Xenophobia and prejudices
• The struggle for the rights of black citizens in the USA
• Feminicide: the ciudad juárez crimes
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• Loneliness and isolation in developed societies
• The emotional process of women victims of terrorism
• Multiculturalism
• Student victims of school massacres
• “The problem” of the Saharawi people
• The feminist struggle
• Immigration and the ‘crime’ of solidarity
• The “damas de blanco” (Women in White) and their struggle to free cuban political prisoners

Immigration and the ‘crime’ of solidarity

Today’s French legislation is extremely hard on the thousands of immigrants packed into camps such as the one in the port of Calais, while waiting to reach their destination: the UK.

However, legal persecution doesn’t stop at undocumented immigrants, but may even, on occasions, extend to people or humanitarian associations who help and shelter them, considering them to be guilty of what is popularly labelled as a “crime of solidarity”. Thus, the French penalties and sanctions in place for those who facilitate irregular entry, circulation or residence of a foreign person in France may be punished with up to five years in prison and a fine of €30,000.

But the French authorities deny this punishment of solidarity. They argue that these measures are only meant to restrain the international networks trafficking in clandestine immigrants.

• © 2010 8th Human Rights Film Festival