UN questions mass arrests in France during farmer protests over the EU-Mercosur agreement

The arrest of 52 protesters reignited the debate over the impact of the trade agreement and the state’s handling of social protest, United Nations experts warned.

Following the arrest in Paris of 52 farmers and sector representatives, three United Nations special rapporteurs expressed concern over the criminalization of peasant movements after demonstrations against the EU-Mercosur agreement. 

In a statement, the experts said that the arrest of national spokespeople and international peasant leaders for symbolic acts of civil disobedience is a worrying sign, as it jeopardizes farmers’ right to voice their grievances without fear of intimidation or reprisals. 

The arrests took place last January, when French police detained 52 people during a protest outside the Ministry of Agriculture. The demonstration challenged the EU-Mercosur free trade agreement and other measures affecting the sector, such as the government order to cull entire herds in response to outbreaks of lumpy skin disease declared in some regions of the country. 

Among those detained, the UN rapporteurs noted, were three national spokespeople of the Confédération paysanne and the general coordinator of the international movement La Vía Campesina. The statement was signed by the rapporteur on the right to food and rural life, Carlos Arturo Duarte; the rapporteur on freedom of assembly, Gina Romero; and the rapporteur on human rights defenders, Mary Lawlor.

The UN representatives stated that farmers are mobilizing to protect their livelihoods and demand participation in decisions that affect their survival, including health policies and international trade agreements. Along these lines, they said the Government should engage in constructive dialogue rather than silence them through arrests.

Protests and tension following the agreement

Protests against the EU-Mercosur agreement continued in the following days. At the port of Le Havre, one of the country’s main logistics hubs, barricades were set up at the entrance to the container terminal. Around a hundred farmers inspected trucks and their cargo to denounce the possible entry of products that, they claim, do not comply with French and European standards.

The protesters’ central demand is to stop the entry or circulation of agricultural imports that, according to the farmers’ assessment, would deepen the fragility of French exports, which have been hit by years of economic difficulties, rising costs and international competitive pressure.

The three experts said they are concerned about the trend of criminalizing peaceful trade union activities and recalled that farmers, like other civil society organizations, must be able to voice their demands without fear of intimidation or reprisals. They also warned that these practices can discourage social participation and weaken the right to protest.

The arrests were “purely arbitrary,” said Fanny Métrat, spokesperson for the Confédération paysanne union. For the union leader, the experts’ statement is “very important” because it sends a clear signal about what she described as criminalization specifically targeting her organization. It is clear that the Confédération paysanne is a nuisance,” Métrat said.

From Geneva, the specialists added that the authorities have an obligation to facilitate peaceful demonstrations and not to respond with excessive use of force. In particular, they warned that the increase in mass arrests targeting certain unions appears unjustified and could be discriminatory, especially if it is repeated as a way of responding to social protests.

The trade agreement between the European Union and Mercosur, after more than 25 years of negotiations, was signed in early 2026 and created one of the largest free trade areas in the world, with a potential market of 800 million consumers. The treaty provides for the elimination of tariffs on 92% of Mercosur exports to the EU and 91% in the opposite direction, seeking to reduce costs, facilitate trade and promote investment.

On January 21, 2026, the European Parliament voted to request an opinion from the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) on the association agreement between the European Union and the Southern Common Market. The measure does not target the political or economic content of the treaty, but rather its legal validity under EU law, particularly with regard to the chosen legal basis and the procedure envisaged for its approval.

Specifically, the Court was asked to determine whether the agreement, as structured, is compatible with the Treaties and with the rules governing the distribution of competences, the conclusion of international agreements and the institutional balance among the main European bodies.

Thus, as the debate over the EU-Mercosur agreement continues to escalate in France, the focus is also on the state’s response to the demonstrations, with international criticism of the use of mass arrests and respect for the guarantees of peaceful protest.

Guillermo Whpei

President of Fundación para la Democracia