Victims of Terrorism and Reparation in France: A Sui Generis System

This policy paper offers a comprehensive analysis of France’s distinctive approach to the reparation of victims of terrorism and proposes recommendations for its improvement and potential replication in other states. In response to a series of major terrorist attacks over the past decade, France has developed a unique dual compensation regime that combines an administrative mechanism - the Guarantee Fund for Victims of Terrorism (“FGTI”), which provides immediate, solidarity-based financial support - and a judicial mechanism, following the establishment of the Jurisdiction for the Compensation of Victims of Terrorism (“JIVAT”), a specialised body created in 2019 to adjudicate civil claims independently from criminal trials. Beyond financial reparation, France has also committed to symbolic and societal forms of redress, including educational reforms, memorial initiatives with the forthcoming Museum and Memorial of Terrorism, and national recognition.

Despite these advances, the paper highlights ongoing challenges within the current reparation framework, such as inconsistencies in compensation, procedural burdens, and the emotional toll placed on victims navigating administrative systems - creating a risk of re-victimisation. It also underscores a significant legal gap, as foreign victims of terrorism and victims of international crimes remain largely excluded from these mechanisms.

In response, the paper formulates a set of policy recommendations aimed at enhancing equity, accessibility, and institutional responsiveness. These include the jurisdictional expansion and institutionalisation of the JIVAT, the adoption of consistent compensation guidelines, strengthened psychological support, and extension of the existing reparation framework to victims of international crimes. France’s model, while unprecedented in scope, must evolve to meet the broader demands of justice - and may serve as a reference for states seeking to implement comprehensive and victim-centred reparation systems.”

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