Any association that has been duly registered for at least five years at the time of the incident and whose purpose, under its articles of association, is to defend or assist sick, disabled or elderly people may exercise the rights granted to civil parties in respect of discrimination punishable under the articles 225-2 and 432-7 of the Penal Code, when they are committed because of the victim’s state of health, disability or age. In addition, when the public prosecution has been initiated by the public prosecutor or the injured party, the association will be able to exercise the rights granted to the civil party with regard to deliberate attacks on life, attacks on physical or psychological integrity, assaults and other sexual attacks, abandonment, abuse of vulnerability, hazing, extortion, swindling, destruction and damage and failure to report ill-treatment, as provided for by the articles 221-1 to 221-5,222-1 à 222-18,222-22 à 222-33-1,223-3 et 223-4,223-15-2,225-16-2,312-1 à 312-9,313-1 à 313-3,322-1 to 322-4and 434-3 of the Penal Code when they are committed because of the victim’s state of health, disability or age. However, the association will only be admissible in its action if it can prove that it has received the victim’s agreement or, if the victim is a minor or a protected adult, that of his or her legal representative.
Any association that has been duly registered for at least five years on the date of the events and that, by virtue of its articles of association, is dedicated to defending or assisting disabled people may also exercise the rights granted to civil parties with regard to offences under articles L. 162-1 to L. 164-3 of the French Construction and Housing Code, as provided for and punishable under Article L. 183-4 of the same code.
A foundation recognised as being in the public interest may exercise the rights granted to a civil party under the same conditions and subject to the same reservations as the association mentioned in this article.