It is a testimony that comes to complete the already very uncomfortable situation of the young activist and journalist of 25 years Taha Bouhafs. For several days he had been the target of strong criticism – including within the left-wing coalition – after the announcement of his candidacy for the legislative elections under the colors of La France insoumise (LFI), in the 14th district of the Rhône.
Targeted on social networks – the young man notably mentioned “death threats” in a press release – he ended up throwing in the towel, announcing on the night of Monday May 9 to Tuesday May 10 that he was giving up his candidacy for the New People’s Ecological and Social Union (Nupes).
On Wednesday, when the controversy was just beginning to dry up, BFMTV revealed that a report had been made to La France insoumise, “relating to alleged facts of sexual violence against Taha Bouhafs”specifies a press release from the party, published a few minutes after this article.
A “chilling story” that could be akin to rape
Jean-Luc Mélenchon’s party explains that a report was sent to its monitoring unit against gender-based and sexual violence on Saturday. Feminist activist Caroline De Haas, member of Parliament for the Union Populaire (created by La France insoumise before the presidential election to support the candidacy of Jean-Luc Mélenchon) confirms to franceinfo that she herself “alert the management of LFI around May 5 or 6” after receiving testimony evoking psychological violence followed by acts that could be characterized as rape.
“It is a chilling, precise account which also reports serious consequences on the health of the victim”.
Caroline DeHaasat franceinfo
Caroline De Haas specifies that she has transmitted another report more akin to pressure, exerted by the young man, via private messages on Twitter, on an association manager.
A party executive, for his part, assures franceinfo that in total, “four reports” were forwarded to the internal committee, including one for sexual violence, one for gender harassment and one for sexual assault.
Caroline De Haas considers that LFI “did what had to be done”. “We cannot claim for five years that Emmanuel Macron should not have named Nicolas Hulot or Gérald Darmanin and then not apply it to ourselves”she adds, acknowledging however that “It happens in a particular period when Taha Bouhafs is exposed to unprecedented racist violence”.
“The last drop” that led Taha Bouhafs to withdraw his candidacy
In its press release, La France insoumise explains that the young activist “was faced with the charges he was facing on Monday, May 9” and “that he was told that because of the seriousness of the supposed facts, as a precautionary principle, and in accordance with the texts defining the principles of the movement, La France insoumise could be led not to invest it”.
“Even before the end of our internal procedure, Taha Bouhafs made the choice to renounce his nomination for the legislative elections”, underlines the press release. It was therefore not only the attacks of which he was the target that led him to withdraw his candidacy, as initially advanced by the activist on his Twitter account, but partly these accusations. “I was already exhausted, the report was the last straw that led me to withdraw”he said Wednesday to Mediapart. “This is part of the slander mentioned in my press release”he added, therefore denying the veracity of this report which emanates from a “ex-girlfriend”, according to him.
Without commenting directly on the content of the testimony of the latter, the ex-candidate says “deeply believe in the political fight against violence against women” and “accepts the speech reception process”. “I consider that anyone accused should retire from public life pending verification of this word. What I have decided to do.”
Jean-Luc Mélenchon assures that “the voice of women must be heard seriously”
Some politicians have already reacted to these accusations, like Philippe Poutou, who on Monday gave strong support to Taha Bouhafs on Twitter, “in the face of the slanderous campaign” which he was the target. Early Wednesday afternoon, the NPA leader tweeted: “As in all cases of aggression, for us, there is no question of compromising: we believe the victims who dare to make these facts public. We assure them of our support, without conditions”.
We learn of the accusations of sexual violence brought against Taha Bouhafs. As in all cases of aggression, for us, there is no question of compromising: we believe the victims who dare to make these facts public. We assure them of our unconditional support.
— Philippe Poutou (@PhilippePoutou) May 11, 2022
Julien Bayou seems more embarrassed. The national secretary of the Europe Ecologie-Les Verts party declared on Twitter on Wednesday: “Yesterday, I supported Taha Bouhafs against racism. Today, I am aware of the accusations of sexual violence against him”explaining that he “delete” his supportive tweet posted the day before, “to avoid any misinterpretation”.
Yesterday I supported Taha Bouhafs against racism.
Today, I learn of the accusations of sexual violence against him.
Support for victims. We believe you.
Also, I delete my tweet from yesterday to avoid any misinterpretation.
— Julien Bayou (@julienbayou) May 11, 2022
For his part, Jean-Luc Mélenchon said on the social network: “I learn of the accusations against Taha Bouhafs”suggesting that he was not aware of an internal seizure of his party on the case of the activist and thus denying the information from BFMTV which ensures that LFI would have recorded the resignation of the journalist-activist on Sunday evening. “The voice of women must be heard seriously. I am counting on the ad hoc commission of LFI to establish the truth. This does not exempt the racists who harassed it”added the former presidential candidate.
In its press release, La France insoumise ensures that “the work of the monitoring committee continues” and that this one “is available to receive any testimonies from other women”.