Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and European Digital Watch are among the signatories that argue such surveillance measures would violate international human rights law.

They claim the implementation would "pose unacceptable risks to fundamental rights, such as the right to privacy, the freedom of assembly and association, and the right to non-discrimination."

"We call on you to consider rejecting Article 7 and to open up the issue for further discussion with civil society," read the letter, published on the European Center for Not-for-Profit for Law.

"Otherwise, its adoption would establish a worrying precedent of unjustified and disproportionate surveillance in publicly accessible spaces to the detriment to fundamental rights and freedoms."

If the proposed law is passed it would make France the first European Union (EU) member state to explicitly legalise such practices.

The European Data Protection Board and the European Data Protection Supervisor supports the claims, saying that biometric surveillance stifles people's reasonable expectations of anonymity in public spaces.

"[The Article] reduces their will and ability to exercise their civic freedoms, for fear of being identified, profiled or even wrongly prosecuted," the letter states.

"As such, this measure threatens the very essence of the right to privacy and data protection, which is incompatible with international and European human rights law."

There are fears that it could lead to the normalisation of exceptional surveillance powers which is noted that could collide with a future EU Artificial Intelligence Act.

Legislative work is still ongoing for a proposal that would prohibit biometric categorisation entirely.

"These experiences provide valid justification for our concern that algorithmic video surveillance will not be abandoned after 2025," reads the letter.

"If adopted, this law will also set a dangerous precedent for other European countries which have - so far unsuccessfully - attempted to legalise a range of risky biometric surveillance practices, including Portugal and Serbia.

"France would then become an infamous 'leader' in surveillance policies within the European Union."

Last month, the Bill was passed in the French Senate by an overwhelming majority with 245 in favour and 28 against.

Sports Minister Amélie Oudéa-Castéra described it as an "essential milestone" for the Games.

The National Assembly is now set to make a decision on whether or not the motion will go further.