[JURIST Europe] French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy [official profile; in French] has announced that the French government has begun the deportation of seven foreigners found guilty of taking part in last month's rioting [JURIST report], making good his promise to deport any non-French citizen involved in the violence. Of the 83 foreigners arrested by police during the riots, 40 are prevented from being deported due to special protection under refugee law. The others may appeal their deportation orders, but must still leave France until their cases are heard. NGOs and human rights groups have criticized Sarkozy's move to deport foreigners as a double punishment for participating in the civil unrest. French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin [official profile] recently announced his intent to toughen French immigration laws [JURIST report] in the wake of the riots. Expatica has local coverage.

D. Wes Rist is Bureau Chief for JURIST Europe, reporting European legal news from a European perspective. He is based in the UK.