A French high-security jail has granted a day release to a notorious drug trafficker convicted of running a major trafficking network in Seine-Saint-Denis, north of Paris. Ouaihid Ben Faiza, a 52-year-old inmate considered key to the network, was allowed to leave the prison unescorted on Monday for a meeting with a potential employer.
The unusual move has sparked outrage among union representatives and critics who argue it undermines efforts to combat organized crime in France. The prisoner's lawyer claimed he needed the meeting to prepare for his reintegration into society after serving time behind bars, while a representative of the FO Justice union described the release as "incompatible with the conditions of isolation."
Ben Faiza has already demonstrated a history of escape attempts, including a notable incident in 2014 where he fled from prison during a hospital visit with the help of an armed commando. He was eventually recaptured after remaining at large for two weeks.
The decision to grant Ben Faiza day release comes as France continues to grapple with its ongoing battle against organized crime and narcotics trafficking. In recent months, several high-profile inmates have been moved to upgraded security facilities, including the renovation of one of France's most secure prisons in an effort to prevent future escapes.
Critics argue that the move sends the wrong message about the government's commitment to fighting organized crime and may embolden other inmates who see opportunities for escape. The decision has also fueled public outrage following a recent killing of an anti-drug activist's brother, which reignited calls for increased action against drug-related violence in France.
The unusual move has sparked outrage among union representatives and critics who argue it undermines efforts to combat organized crime in France. The prisoner's lawyer claimed he needed the meeting to prepare for his reintegration into society after serving time behind bars, while a representative of the FO Justice union described the release as "incompatible with the conditions of isolation."
Ben Faiza has already demonstrated a history of escape attempts, including a notable incident in 2014 where he fled from prison during a hospital visit with the help of an armed commando. He was eventually recaptured after remaining at large for two weeks.
The decision to grant Ben Faiza day release comes as France continues to grapple with its ongoing battle against organized crime and narcotics trafficking. In recent months, several high-profile inmates have been moved to upgraded security facilities, including the renovation of one of France's most secure prisons in an effort to prevent future escapes.
Critics argue that the move sends the wrong message about the government's commitment to fighting organized crime and may embolden other inmates who see opportunities for escape. The decision has also fueled public outrage following a recent killing of an anti-drug activist's brother, which reignited calls for increased action against drug-related violence in France.
what is going on with this guy ben faiza?! he's got like 3 lives already 
and now they're letting him just walk out of jail unescorted? it's wild 
, especially after all those escape attempts in the past 
. i get that his lawyer says he needs to meet with a potential employer to prepare for reintegration into society, but like, shouldn't this be handled in a secure facility or something? 
. like, i get that France needs to tackle its narcotics trafficking issues, but this move seems kinda reckless 
. maybe they should've thought of that before letting a notorious drug trafficker walk out of jail on his own 
.
. are they trying to send some kind of message? or is this just a case of 'we messed up' 
? either way, it's def gonna be interesting to see how this all plays out 
. and honestly, i don't blame 'em either - it's all just so messed up 
The FO Justice union is right, this move feels kinda incompatible with the whole isolation thing. It's also super concerning that Ben Faiza has a history of escape attempts – what if he uses this chance to make another break? 
. The gov't is trying to send a message that they're willing to work with high-risk inmates if it means taking down bigger players. But at what cost? I mean, this guy has already shown he's not exactly loyal to the system... fingers crossed it doesn't backfire on them 
just read about Ouaihid Ben Faiza gettin released from prison for a day meetin with a potential employer and I gotta wonder wot the gov is thinkin 
it's not like he ain't got a history of tryna escape... last time he was out for two weeks 
I mean, what's the harm in giving Ouaihid Ben Faiza a day off? He's already served time, right? Maybe this meeting thing is just what he needs to turn his life around and become an asset to society instead of a criminal. And who are we to decide that? The government's trying to keep people locked up for life anyway... it's like they're not doing enough. 
and dont even get me started on the escape attempts he's already had 
like 2 weeks at large in 2014?? that's wild! 
Please, that's just a fancy way of saying "we don't wanna hold onto him anymore". It's like we're giving up on the whole rehabilitation thing. 
while keeping everyone else locked up in the dark? 
He's got like 2 weeks out and already showed he can escape 
I mean I get that the lawyer says it's for reintegration, but what if someone finds a way to meet with him again? 
, I just think we need to be super careful here 
... ben faiza has like a history of escape attempts, what's next gonna be inmates doing their own shopping? 
anyway, i think it's all about politics and PR - they want to show off that they're doing something but really they're just messing with the system 
... and by the way, who lets an inmate out unescorted without even checking if they've got a plan B in place? 
. Do you guys think this move is going to lead to more problems or actually help them tackle organized crime?
... If he does have potential employers lined up, then maybe this is a good opportunity for him to turn his life around. Who knows, maybe he'll become some kind of anti-trafficking advocate or something 
? It's not like we've given up on people changing their ways, right?
this is crazy, i mean ben faiza has already tried to escape like 3 times and they're still giving him day release? what's next, releasing all the other bad guys too?