France wants to extend emergency powers until after Euro 2016
France wants to extend the state of emergency, which has been in place since the Nov. 13 Paris attacks, for further two months to include the Euro 2016 football championships, according to Prime Minister Manuel Valls.
If voted in by parliament, the law will be prolonged for the fourth time since the attacks, in which 130 people were killed.
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"Faced with an event this big... which must take place in conditions of security and which at the same time should be a celebration... we have to ensure security," Valls said on France Info radio.
"The state of emergency cannot be permanent, but on the occasion of these big events... we have decided to prolong."
The current state of emergency gives extra powers to police and security forces to search homes, hold suspects and put people under house arrest. It was due to run out by May 26.
Euro 2016, which will see 2.5 million spectators at 10 stadiums for 51 matches, begins on June 10 and runs for a month.
Security arrangements for the tournament are stricter than usual as Stade de France, the national stadium north of the capital, was the site of a suicide bombing on the night of the Paris attacks.
The stadium, which will host the opening match and the final, will be watched over by some 1200 security officials, according to Reuters.
The state of emergency has been criticised by privacy campaigners and rights group.
A report by Human Rights Watch (HRW) in February stated France "carried out abusive and discriminatory raids and house arrests against Muslims" under the state of emergency law.
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