The Prefect of the Rhone hastily expels the adoptive black son of a French "native family".

On Tuesday, November 6th, 2007 in the centre of Lyon, in the afternoon, walking out of a bakery, Mr. Léonard AMAN-CLAIR, age 36, had an unexpected identity check by pedestrian policemen to whom he presented spontaneously his passport. This passport was obsolete despite of numerous attempts at renewal, which had remained fruitless because of the administrative disorganization relative to the civil war in Ivory Coast, country of origin.

For about 5 years, the prefect of the Rhone has always refused to grant him political asylum in spite of the dangers that he faced in his home country. Léonard was immediately taken into custody, then was put in a remand centre near Lyon Saint Exupéry airport, and on Saturday, November 17th, 2007, 10 days later, expelled hastily towards Ivory Coast, destination Abidjan, via Roissy airport.

He has never been in trouble with the police and has no criminal record, and is totally integrated: son adopted legally for 25 years by a "native-born French" retired man living in La Ricamarie (Loire), the name of whom he bears his surname. Very close to his family, emotionally, socially and friendly, he used to live here, being divided between Lyon and the neighbouring regions (Loire and Isère), where live his father, his uncles, aunts and cousins, that is among his own since childhood.

What can thus be the offence so grave which urged the police to ask him for his ID this Tuesday, November 6th and the prefecture to do his eviction so hastily in the early hours of Saturday November 17th ? The fact that his colour counted against him?

As a sentence underlined of Madam Rama Yade's book (Secretary of State in charge of Foreign affairs and human rights by current French government): " as long as the lion will not write, the hunting stories will praise the bravery of the hunter (African proverb)”.

There is a petition available on :

 http://friendsofleo.blogspot.com