The Right to an Interpreter during Examination of Asylum Applications in France: A Crucial Procedural Guarantee

For several years, nearly 90% of interviews at the Office français de protection des réfugiés et apatrides (French Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons–Ofpra) and hearings at the Cour nationale du droit d’asile (French National Court of Asylum–CNDA) have provided for the services of an interpreter. These high proportions can be explained by the legal obligation to call in an interpreter if the person being interviewed wants to be heard in a language other than French. ...