France

Alsetex is a French company, owned by the Etienne Lacroix Group including various types of non-lethal munitions and crowd control equipment. Products manufactured by Alsetex include tear gas grenades, stun grenades, riot control agents, and a range of related launchers.

Société d'Application des Procédés Lefebvre (SAPL) is a French company that specialises in the manufacture of weapons and equipment for use by law enforcement, including “non-lethal” weapons, ammunitions, aerosols, shields and silencers. They also provide training in the products they manufacture. 60-70% of SAPL’s income comes from the French government, but SAPL also exports to a number of other countries. In 2022, the company reported income of €2.7m.

Cheddite is a French-Italian company with headquarters in Livorno, Italy and Bourg-lès-Valence, France. They are one of the world’s largest manufacturers of empty shot gun shells and primers.

An investigation by France24 has found evidence that shotgun cartridges manufactured in Italy and France by the company Cheddite have been used by Iranian security forces against protesters.

he trial of former South African President Jacob Zuma - accused of involvement in a multi-billion dollar arms deal corruption case - is set to begin on May 17th.

This week marks the non-opening of the world's largest arms fair - Eurosatory - in Paris. Despite the impressive array of fabulously rich backers who look forward to this biennial showcase for the latest and most sophisticated offerings in death and destruction, the salon has been cancelled.

Nexter Systems is a French state-owned company building a wide range of military vehicles, artillery, weapons and ammunition used by the French military and sold around the world.

From November 1st to November 3rd, 2019 a group of activists from France, Italy, Spain and Switzerland gathered to discuss militarism in their political, social and everyday lives. Conscientious objection, among and in relation to other topics, was central to the discussions at this Antimilitarist Camp in Paris.

On Monday 8th October, the trial started of six men in France on charges of corruption, fraud or complicity to fraud linked to the so-called “Karachi Affair”. The focus of the trial is on kick-backs allegedly paid as part of two French arms deals in the 1990s: for frigates to Saudi Arabia and submarines to Pakistan.

A new national civic service programme targeting young people was launched in June this year, 20 years after ending conscription for men in the country.

French NGO Disclose has uncovered evidence that military-grade armoured vehicles have recently been used by the Egyptian police against civilian protesters by a new anti-terrorism unit. The Sherpa armoured trucks, built by Renault Trucks Defence, were exported from France to Egypt in 2012 and 2016.

Dockworkers in France have blocked a shipment of ammunition onto a ship destined for Saudi Arabia. Members of the CGT union working at the Marseille-Fos port said they would remain “faithful to their history and values of peace” as they refused to load the ammunition onto the Bahri Tabuk.