[JURIST] French immigration officials have deported a man from Mali involved in the riots [JURIST report] that overtook Parisian suburbs and spread across the country last fall, the first of seven foreigners so far found guilty in connection with the riots who will all soon be deported. French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy [official profile; in French] initially ordered the deportations of all convicted in the riots [JURIST report] in November, but said Thursday that the delay was due to long legal procedures that hindered the deportation process but showed that France is a "state of law." Sarkozy originally asked local authorities to deport 120 foreigners arrested during the riots, but the government dropped most of the other cases because the suspects were minors or faced the prospect of double punishment for their participation. AP has more.

Previously in JURIST's Paper Chase...

• French judges rule against deportation of accused rioter
• France deports 7 rioters, pledges more deportations to come
• French government introducing stricter immigration controls after riots
• French interior minister preparing deportations as riots spread to Lyon
• French immigrants, rights groups question use of emergency laws
• French emergency laws helping to quell riots, say officials