France extends post-attacks state of emergency for 3 months

France's Parliament on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a three-month extension of its state of emergency imposed after deadly attacks around Paris in November, even as rights groups said it undermines fundamental freedoms.

Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve argued in the National Assembly that the threat of new violence remains very high after the attacks by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), which killed 130 people.

The state of emergency expands police powers to carry out arrests and searches and allows authorities to restrict movement of persons and vehicles at specific times and places.

The lower house of Parliament approved the extension by a vote of 212-31. It had already been approved by the Senate, and now will remain in effect until May 26.

The decision comes despite rights groups saying the state of emergency undermines fundamental freedoms.

Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International published separate research at the beginning of February, pointing to cases where excessive force had been used in raids, leading to human rights violations including violence.

Wire services