Fictitious jobs: Mr and Mrs Fillon and Mr and Mrs Marc Joulaud take the matter to the European Court of Human Rights

Their guilt was definitively confirmed by the Court of Cassation last April. François Fillon denounces “the violation, by French justice, of the principles of independence and impartiality”.

François Fillon, his wife Pénélope and his deputy Marc Joulaud have seized the European Court of Human Rights for the case of fictitious jobs, on August 23, announced Me François-Henri Briard, the lawyer of the former Prime Minister, to France Bleu Maine, Friday August 30. François Fillon “denounces the violation, by the French justice system, of the principles of independence and impartiality guaranteed by Article 6.1 of the European Convention on Human Rights, as well as the disregard of Article 7 of this convention. The European Court will rule within a period of around two years”his lawyer explained to France Bleu Maine.

On April 24, the Court of Cassation definitively confirmed the guilt of François Fillon, his wife and his substitute in the fictitious jobs affair, also called “Penelopegate”, recalls France Bleu Maine. The high court had however ordered a new trial, but only concerning the sentences handed down against François Fillon, as well as the damages.

Having run out of recourse in France after going through the Constitutional Council, the Court of Appeal, and the Court of Cassation, the trio therefore seized the European Court of Human Rights on the question of the bias of Éliane Houlette, who headed the national financial prosecutor’s office at the time, continues France Bleu Maine. “Mr. Fillon and the two other defendants did not benefit from an impartial procedure, since Ms. Houlette revealed that she was subjected to very heavy pressure from the public prosecutor’s office at the time,” detailed Me François-Henri Briard to France Bleu Maine last February. On this point, the Constitutional Council ruled in favor of François Fillon in September 2023.

The Fillon couple and Marc Joulaud are now waiting to be notified of the ruling handed down by the European Court of Human Rights, concludes France Bleu Maine. François Fillon will soon be summoned before the Paris Court of Appeal, to redefine the sentences and damages awarded against him.