A campaign is underway to fight against the proposed expulsion from France of 21-year-old Adil Smaali, singer with the Montpellier-based group SimSim. An online petition has been organised, and on November 22 Adil’s friends and supporters will be gathering outside the Tribunal Administratif de Montpellier, where his case will be judged.
Adil, who was born in Tétouan, Morocco, and came to France alone at the age of 16, has been refused a residence permit and has been told he has to leave the country. He has the status of “intermittent du spectacle” (a casual worker in the entertainment industry), which the immigration authorities tell him is not a proper job.
The singer has built up a life for himself in Montpellier; he is well-known in the local music scene and has been involved in such events as the Internationales de la Guitare and the Festival Arabesques. He has a French girlfriend and a wide circle of friends who are supporting him.
When Adil arrived in France in 2005 on a one-year visa, he was considered as an “isolated minor” and was placed with foster families. At 18, he was further assisted by the local authorities and was given a contract to train as a stage technician. He applied for a residence permit, but received no concrete decision until August this year, when he was told to leave.
His friends and other supporters are calling for a strong presence outside the court on Monday.
http://www.sandv.fr/adilsmaali/
SimSim on Myspace