Victims of Terrorism and Reparation in France: A Sui Generis System

This policy paper offers a comprehensive analysis of France’s distinctive approach to the reparation of victims of terrorism and proposes recommendations for its improvement and potential replication in other states. In response to a series of major terrorist attacks over the past decade, France has developed a unique dual compensation regime that combines an administrative mechanism - the Guarantee Fund for Victims of Terrorism (“FGTI”), which provides immediate, solidarity-based financial support - and a judicial mechanism, following the establishment of the Jurisdiction for the Compensation of Victims of Terrorism (“JIVAT”), a specialised body created in 2019 to adjudicate civil claims independently from criminal trials. Beyond financial reparation, France has also committed to symbolic and societal forms of redress, including educational reforms, memorial initiatives with the forthcoming Museum and Memorial of Terrorism, and national recognition.

To read the policy paper: https://icct.nl/publication/victims-terrorism-and-reparation-france-sui-generis-system