Philippine affair: France demands extradition of suspect arrested in Switzerland

This Thursday, October 10, Didier Migaud, French Minister of Justice, spoke on the BFMTV and RMC program *Face-à-Face*. At the heart of his speech was the situation of Taha O., the presumed suspect in the Philippine murder case. He was arrested in Switzerland on September 24, a few days after the body of the 19-year-old student was discovered in the Bois de Boulogne.

Extradition request launched

Didier Migaud confirmed that the extradition request for the suspect, already known to the police for previous convictions, had been officially filed. “It was made yesterday”, he said, adding that France will do everything in its power to ensure that Taha O. is tried on French territory.

A student brutally snatched from life

Philippine, a young student at Paris-Dauphine University, was found lifeless on September 21. Her death sent shockwaves through the university community and into public opinion. The swift arrest of Taha O., a 22-year-old Moroccan national, brought to light his troubled past: already convicted of rape, he was under an obligation to leave French territory (OQTF). However, the procedure for his deportation to Morocco, initiated last June, had failed due to an administrative problem.

A grieving family and a call for justice

On the same day that Didier Migaud spoke, Philippine’s family issued a poignant statement, marking what would have been the young woman’s 20th birthday. “Philippine would have been 20 years old today,” wrote the family, warmly thanking the many people who had shown them support and solidarity at this time of immense grief.

At a time when France is insisting on the extradition of the suspect, this case raises many questions about the management of OQTFs and the need to strengthen control mechanisms to avoid such tragedies.