Iran’s top human rights body has condemned the French government and police over their crackdown on nationwide protests against the rising cost of living and deteriorating public services, which led to hundreds of arrests.

The High Council for Human Rights, a subsidiary of the Iranian judiciary, said in a statement on Tuesday that the French government and police had clearly violated the rights of people who took to the streets to protest against the rising cost of living and deteriorating public services.

“Maintaining public order and social security does not justify violating citizens’ fundamental rights, arbitrary treatment, the use of disproportionate force, or unnecessary restrictions on civil liberties,” the statement said.

The council stated that the arrest of at least 448 protesters, along with the use of tear gas and other coercive measures to disperse demonstrations over livelihood concerns, was unjustified.

“…the scale of the protests highlights the significance of social and economic demands voiced by a considerable section of French society,” the statement added.

French police fires tear gas on protesters as rallies sweep country

The French police fired tear gas and used other crowd-control measures against demonstrators as thousands took to the streets to demand higher wages.

The statement comes weeks after people took to the streets in cities and towns across France to express their dissatisfaction with the country’s economic situation.

French President Emmanuel Macron and other officials have openly warned protesters that they could face lengthy prison sentences and heavy fines if they continued to disrupt public order.

France was among the first countries to criticize Iran over its handling of foreign-backed riots in January, with officials in Paris repeatedly accusing Tehran of using disproportionate force against the rioters.