France wants Papon in prison

THE French government is studying possible avenues to overturn a court decision to free Maurice Papon, the Nazi-era collaborator whose sudden release from prison provoked howls of outrage.

As Papon enjoyed his first full day of freedom, Jewish groups and other critics planned protests at the appeal court’s decision to free 92-year-old Papon on health grounds.

Justice Minister Dominique Perben said he has ordered a study to see whether the decision to free Papon can be reversed. He suggested the government might try to argue that freeing Papon was too traumatic for French society.