An investigation into suspicions of illegitimate police violence after the arrest of an undocumented Malian in the capital was entrusted on September 17 to the IGPN, the police, the Paris prosecutor’s office announced on Monday (November 15), confirming information from Mediapart.
This investigation was opened the same day of the facts, for “violence by persons holding public authority”. Another investigation was opened that same day for “violence against a person holding public authority, rebellion and contempt”, and entrusted to the police station of the 18th arrondissement, said the prosecution.
According to Mediapart, Seriba, 30, undocumented Malian, was celebrating his birthday with friends in the courtyard of his building when he was arrested during the night. According to the police headquarters, the young man was arrested around 3:30 a.m. “intoxicated by a crew from the 18th arrondissement intervening for disturbers in front of a building”.
On CCTV images unveiled by Mediapart, we see a face-to-face between Seriba and a police officer before the undocumented person is brought to the ground and handcuffed, without having made a violent gesture.
According to testimonies collected by the news site, a Taser is then given by a police officer. The undocumented man told Mediapart that once he got into a police vehicle and then at the police station, he had received several taser shots. “at the level of the testicles” and was beaten, which led to his hospitalization.
According to a medical report unveiled by the news site and consulted by AFP, Seriba, examined by a doctor from the Medico-Forensic Unit (UMJ), declares “to have been the victim of violence by police officers during his arrest”, to have “was pinned to the ground and then, in the police vehicle, he was punched in the face and chest”.
The doctor then grants him 45 days of temporary work interruption (ITT), evoking a “probable fracture of the radius”, a “significant psychological shock”, a “head trauma” and “lesions in the genitals compatible with traces of Taser”. But a second medical examination reduced this ITT to six days, said the prosecution.
According to his lawyer, Arié Alimi, the young man was also the subject of racist remarks. “This is again a particularly worrying case of police violence of a racist nature. It is part of a systemic racism of the police institution. The Paris police headquarters, the IGPN as well as many police officers have tried to avoid his revelation “, denounced the lawyer.
His client is also being prosecuted before the criminal court for “illicit use of narcotics” and “contempt of person holding public authority” for facts dating from October 6, according to the Paris prosecutor’s office. He will appear on February 17.
According to images filmed by a witness, and broadcast by Mediapart, we see the police rummaging several times in his bag. “The videos and testimonies show that his bag was empty and that it was the police who voluntarily introduced narcotics into the bag after his arrest”, said Arié Alimi.