A few days ago, in an interview with ELLE magazine, journalist Ophélie Meunier returned to the death threats she received following a report entitled Forbidden Zone: facing the dangers of radical Islam, state responses. The show, broadcast on M6 on January 23, provoked strong reactions.
No “incitement to hatred because of religion“
Thus, the TV star estimated: “by presenting this report, I am convinced that I have done my job. I never said to myself: I screwed up. What happened is proof that journalism touches to sensitive subjects and that we need to explore them more than ever”. But has the journalistic treatment of the subject been the right one?
This is the question to which ARCOM (ex CSA) answered, on May 10, in plenary assembly. Six months after being seized by viewers, the gendarme of the paf made his decision concerning the show. A press release explains:It noted, in view of all the exchanges, that the remarks made had not constituted an encouragement to discriminatory behavior or an incitement to hatred on the grounds of religion.“.
>> See also: Forbidden Zone (M6): this sequence in a Muslim school in Marseille shocks the web
And for good reason, he”had been reminded on several occasions that all people of the Muslim faith were not targeted by comments denouncing radicalization“, also assure the members.
No breach of “respect for the rights and freedoms“
In addition to possible discrimination, the issue of respect for the rights of stakeholders was also on the table. ARCOM says it has “no further finding of breach by the publisher of its obligations with regard to respect for rights and freedoms, in particular with regard to respect for human rights“. And to add: “It appears that the people who spoke with their faces uncovered did so freely, while those filmed with a hidden camera were not identifiable.“.
FA