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With a Moroccan killing a student.. France moves towards toughening stance against illegal immigration
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The incident of the French student's murder reveals gaps in the immigration and security system, prompting the government to reconsider its policies and tighten measures to protect citizens

Conservative French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau pledged on Wednesday to take new steps to combat illegal immigration following the arrest by Swiss authorities of a Moroccan citizen suspected of killing a 19-year-old university student and leaving her body in a forest in Paris.
A source familiar with the case indicated that the suspect is a 22-year-old Moroccan national, while prosecutors clarified that he had previously been convicted of rape and issued an order to leave France.
The student's assassination is expected to exacerbate political tension in France, where the new right-wing government intends to tighten immigration rules. Retailleau stated, "This is a heinous crime."
Retailleau, who took office on Monday succeeding Gérald Darmanin, had previously vowed to strengthen law and order, tighten immigration legislation, and facilitate the deportation of foreigners convicted of crimes.
He added, "As leaders, it is our responsibility to refuse to surrender to what seems inevitable and to develop our legal arsenal to protect the French." He continued, "If we need to amend laws, let's do it."
The student's body was discovered on Saturday in the Boulogne Forest west of Paris, near the Paris-Dauphine University where she was studying. Authorities have only revealed the victim's first name, Philippine.
A spokesperson for the Swiss Ministry of Justice told AFP that the Moroccan citizen was arrested on Tuesday in the Geneva canton in Switzerland, as the main suspect in the murder that occurred in Paris.
The spokesperson added, "The Federal Justice Office later issued an arrest warrant for his extradition based on an arrest request from France." The student was last seen at the university on Friday, and according to a security source, eyewitnesses reported seeing a man carrying an axe.
According to prosecutors, the man was convicted in 2021 of committing a rape in 2019 when he was a minor, and was released in June 2024 after serving his sentence. He was then placed in an administrative detention center, according to a source familiar with the case.
In early September, a judge ordered his release on condition that he regularly inform authorities of his whereabouts, but just before the student's murder, the suspect was placed on a wanted list for violating his release conditions.
The student's death sparked widespread anger in France, with politicians from the right and left calling for tougher measures. Jordan Bardella, president of the far-right National Rally party (the largest party in parliament), wrote on the "X" platform on Tuesday evening: "Philippine's life was snatched away by a Moroccan immigrant who was subject to a deportation order."
He added that "our judicial system is lenient, our state is dysfunctional, and our leaders leave the French to coexist with human time bombs," continuing, "It's time for this government to act: our citizens are feeling extremely angry."
Former Socialist President François Hollande also weighed in, affirming that deportation orders should be executed "quickly." France regularly issues deportation orders, but only 7 percent of them are executed, compared to 30 percent across the European Union.
Public law expert Marie-Laure Basilien-Gainche said that French authorities issue too many of these orders, adding, "We are witnessing an increase in the number of deportation orders issued against people whom we know from the start cannot return to their countries of origin or those they transited through."
Levant-Agencies
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BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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