“I come back to you with this letter to ask you for a fair and equitable procedure.” Taha Bouhafs breaks the silence in a long six-page letter, Tuesday July 5, a few weeks after his withdrawal from the legislative campaign. The activist and journalist was then targeted by a testimony recounting alleged acts of sexual violence. “If the accusations are unfounded, as I think they are, I must be able to defend myself against them”writes the former candidate in this message, ensuring that La France insoumise never informed him of what he was accused of.
>> Taha Bouhafs case: what we know about the accusations of sexual violence against the former LFI candidate for the legislative elections
The activist also claims not to have asked himself to withdraw his candidacy, contrary to what LFI had announced. Taha Bouhafs relates in particular a meeting with the deputy Clémentine Autain, on May 9 in a café. The MP would then have told him that the decision had been taken to divest him of his candidacy for the legislative elections.
The ex-candidate claims that during this interview, she never informed him of the content of the accusations of “sexual violence” brought against him, thus preventing him from defending himself. “‘For 1,000 years women have not been heard, you may also pay for the others, but that’s how it is, it’s a political bias’, she replied”writes Taha Bouhafs.
After a difficult and long silence, it’s time for me to speak again, to give you the explanations that I owe you.
And ask for the answers that I am owed.
Open letter to the @FranceInsoumise
1/2 pic.twitter.com/PXrXkvC2I1
— Taha Bouhafs (@T_Bouhafs) July 5, 2022
According to this account, Clémentine Autain then asked him “to make a press release to say that[il] will withdraw[t] [s]a candidacy because of the racist attacks that[il] suffered[t] since the announcement of it”. The chosen one would have added that she “would support this version publicly”which Taha Bouhafs refuses: “Why should we lie about the real reason for my withdrawal?” He finally withdraws his candidacy in the evening, unable, he says, to “lead the slightest arm wrestling”after several weeks of campaigning and attacks.
“I therefore learn that there will be no investigation, no verification, no confrontation. Taha eliminated. The case is settled, circulate there is nothing to see.”
Taha Bouhafsin a letter posted on social media
Taha Bouhafs also denounces the press release published by the party two days later, saying that he “was confronted with the accusations to which he was subject this Monday, May 9” and that he had chosen to give up his nomination himself in the Rhône. “VS’is false: I do not know what I am being accused of, I have never been confronted with the said accusations”. While declaring itself in favor of the “presumption of sincerity” in terms of sexual and gender-based violence, he nevertheless regrets that no element has been reported to the public prosecutor.