French courts uphold entry ban on CAGE Director for exposing state-sponsored Islamophobia

Paris -  On October 10th, the Paris Administrative Court announced the confirmation of the ban on  Muhammad Rabbani, Managing Director of  CAGE International, a Muslim Advocacy group that has long been monitoring and exposing Islamophobic state policies in France. This ban prevents Rabbani from entering French territory for any and all reasons. 

Despite the French government's efforts to undermine CAGE International’s work in exposing its state-sponsored Islamophobia, the advocacy group remained steadfast in its criticism. The day before the ban was confirmed, CAGE International representatives spoke at the OSCE Human Dimensions conference in Warsaw, the world’s largest regional security organisation, with fifty-seven participating states. Ryan Freschi, CAGE International Representative, emphasised the harsh reality of structural Islamophobia in France, particularly pointing out that, due to a systematic obstruction policy introduced by the French state in 2018, 31,000 Muslim organisations—including independent NGOs, mosques, and schools—have faced state harassment, with over a thousand being forcibly shut down.

The decision to uphold the ban on Muhammad Rabbani is a severe violation of his freedoms of movement and association. It is just one of many alarming cases; other cases involve respected religious leaders who face exile, such as Imam Mohammed Ridouanne, or are removed from their positions, as seen with Imam Ismail.

This takes place within the broader context of the French government's blatant and targeted suppression of voices criticizing France's role in the genocide in Gaza.

Muhammad Rabbani, Managing Director of CAGE International said:

“France’s decision to uphold the ban is unsurprising—it was politically motivated from the outset, and the courts have consistently reinforced government actions. In a climate of widespread hysteria surrounding Muslims, Muslims facing politically charged trials rarely receive a fair hearing. This ban is part of a broader effort to dismantle Muslim civil society, as the French government systematically dissolves organisations, seizes assets, and suppresses political activism. CAGE International has explicitly been targeted for its role as an international NGO, monitoring and spotlighting France’s persecution of its Muslim community, scrutiny the government seeks to avoid. 

The ban on my presence only reinforces our argument of structural Islamophobia and the deliberate silencing of Muslim organisations. An international NGO leader barred from entering France to investigate domestic policy speaks volumes. One can only imagine the global response if Russia had banned a member of the French press or Amnesty International.

Despite the ban, in today’s globalised, interconnected world where information flows freely, CAGE International's work will continue undeterred. This hypocrisy will not hinder our investigations, advocacy, or resolve to hold France accountable for its actions.”