Sarkozy's Purge of Gypsies 'Borderline Illegal'

Nicolas Sarkozy's government continues its purge of Gypsies as international condemnation piles up. The latest criticism comes from a UN race panel worried "about the rise in violence of a racist nature" against Gypsies—and it asks the government to back off in the name of "human rights," reports AP. The French government is unrepentant, however, and this week sent 700 more back to Romania. That brings this year's total to 8,300.

"Aside from drawing allegations of racism and bigotry, Sarkozy's actions border on the illegal," writes Claire Suddath in Time. Most Gypsies are from Romania and Bulgaria, which makes them EU citizens entitled to greater travel rights in other EU nations. Besides, she notes, most of those who have left have taken the government's offer of 300 euro to do so. And "many of them will probably come right back." (More France stories.)