France has banned the UK-based campaign group CAGE for giving evidence about the republic's persecution of Muslims. The authorities in Paris blocked the managing director of CAGE, Muhammad Rabbani, from entering the country. A highly critical presentation delivered by Rabbani last year at the summit of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in which he exposed the French government's Islamophobia and its Systematic Obstruction Policy, is said to be the reason for the ban.

CAGE described this as "totally absurd" and an example of "authoritarian overreach" by the French, a view that has become widespread amongst analysts and commentators. In recent years the French government has faced sharp criticism over its crackdown on its Muslim citizens. Western critics have expressed similar sentiments in arguing that the French model of secularism is not only repressive, but has also become unsuited to modern French society.

The campaign group has long been monitoring state policies in France that have a direct impact on Muslims and their freedom to practise their faith. It has submitted substantial complaints and evidence as part of international coalitions to the EU and UN Human Rights Council about France's persecution of Muslims. The group's 2022 report on France was the first of its kind to argue that state-sponsored persecution of Muslims is taking place.

Rabbani arrived in Paris for a three-day visit, and was scheduled to meet with French media organisations and civil society leaders, explained CAGE. He was detained at a police station shortly after his arrival and transferred to a migrant detention centre. He was kept in custody for almost 24 hours and denied access to his electronic devices for most of that time.

During his detention, Rabbani was questioned by police at the airport, then at the migrant detention centre and again at the airport before he returned to the UK. He was also questioned by an official from France's Interior Ministry. Upon his return to London Gatwick Airport, he was detained for a further hour.

"France banned me in response to a speech I gave at last September's OSCE conference exposing its Systematic Obstruction Policy," said Rabbani. "CAGE has been monitoring the racist implementation of that policing strategy and the way it targets Muslim citizens."

Denouncing the draconian crackdown on free-speech, CAGE claimed that the French government is clearly threatened by an NGO holding it to account. "Our interventions and critiques are echoed across the board. Singling out a Muslim human rights defender for a ban smacks of the very same Islamophobia of which France is accused and which it is apparently so offended by."/MEM