A convicted rapist in France managed to deflect a deportation order by identifying as transgender. Mehdi F., a 32-year-old Algerian migrant, was convicted in 2019 for raping a child under the age of 15 and sentenced to four years in prison. A deportation order was issued in 2021. He applied for asylum but was refused considering the severity of his crime. However, Mehdi’s appeal against the refusal of asylum on the grounds of likely transphobic persecution in Algeria was accepted by the National Court of Asylum (CNDA).
His lawyer, Isabelle Zribi, maintained that Mehdi was transitioning into a woman. Essentially, the male offender was reframed as a vulnerable female facing potential victimization. The potential danger Mehdi posed to French children was ignored in favor of his “rights” as a transgender individual fearing persecution.
France’s Supreme Court upheld the decision, stating that a rape conviction alone should not legally warrant the refusal or termination of refugee status. This case has highlighted the somber reality of how laws are manipulated, resulting in preposterous outcomes. This case has sparked outrage at France’s refusal to care for its citizens above migrants and protected classes such as supposedly “transgender” men.