France’s Supreme Court rejects groups’ request for slavery reparations in case from Martinique

By CARA ANNA
Associated Press

PARIS (AP) — France’s highest court has rejected a request by three groups seeking reparations for slavery in a case that originated on the French Caribbean island of Martinique. The court’s decision Wednesday said that no one produced evidence showing they had “suffered individually” any damage from the crimes that their ancestors had been subjected to. A lawyer says they will approach the European Court of Human Rights for a new appeal. Slavery was abolished in France in 1848 but before that had a significant slave trade. The country shipped more than 1 million Africans to colonies in the Americas.