RSF - Reporters sans frontières

04/07/2026 | Press release | Archived content

In France, a vaguely worded new bill risks incriminating certain forms of reporting

A new bill aimed at tackling antisemitism is raising serious concerns about press freedom and journalism in France. It is due to be debated in the French National Assembly from 16 April onwards. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) calls on the nation's MPs to acknowledge the significant risks that the text poses to reporting, particularly as its provisions - the revision and creation of terrorism-related offences - are dangerously broad and vague.

The first two articles of the bill - which contains four articles in total - are particularly concerning from a legal perspective. Tabled by centre-right MP Caroline Yadan, the "Yadan" bill was adopted by a slim majority in the Law Committee - a permanent committee within the National Assembly that studies draft legislation before it is voted on by MPs - on 20 January. According to its explanatory statement, the bill seeks to address contemporary manifestations of antisemitism, particularly those that call for the destruction of the State of Israel or liken it to the Nazi regime.

The first article of the text aims to extend the offence of provocation of terrorism and apology for terrorism; the second makes calling for the destruction of a state a criminal offence. Introducing vague notions into the already disputeddefinition of "apology for terrorism", including "implicitly" or by "excessive trivialisation," undermines the principle of legality and paves the way for broad interpretations that could potentially encompass reliable journalism. The scope of the offences outlined in the bill therefore risks conflating journalism with a criminal offence, particularly reports that analyse the strategies or rhetoric of groups or discourse described as terrorist, or that share propaganda images and documents for informative purposes.

The French Council of State recommended incorporating the proposed new offence - of calling for the destruction of a state recognised as such by the French Republic - into France's 1881 Press Law. This recommendation, adopted by the Law Committee, makes it possible to keep the offence within the protective framework of the Press Law and exclude the application of special investigative techniques specific to terrorism matters.

"The broad and imprecise definitions of the offences in the Yadan bill are concerning. The integration of Article 2 into the 1881 law, as proposed by the Council of State, is reassuring for journalists in terms of procedural safeguards and the protection of source confidentiality. However, the bill still runs a major risk of creating a chilling effect on the coverage of sensitive topics. If this bill were enacted into law as it stands, nothing would prevent a journalist from being treated as the author of the criminal statements they were reporting on. MPs must be aware of the risks that this text poses to journalism and press freedom. RSF shares the concerns of the French National Consultative Commission on Human Rights (CNCDH), of which it is a member, as well as the many voices highlighting the risk of a disproportionate infringement of freedom of expression and press freedom posed by this bill.

Thibaut Bruttin
RSF Director General

The National Consultative Commission on Human Rights has repeatedly warnedof the risks posed by this bill, particularly to freedom of expression, and calls for the rejection of its first two articles.

Published on07.04.2026
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