The deputy of rebellious France and presidential candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon was sentenced on Tuesday January 11 for “public insults” and “public defamation” by the Paris Criminal Court. He was sentenced to a suspended fine of 500 euros and will have to pay 3,000 euros in damages to Radio France.
His lawyer, Me Matthieu Davy, said he would appeal this decision. “We are astonished at such a harsh ruling against the freedom of speech of a political leader“, he told AFP.
The lawyer of Radio France, Me Sabrina Goldman, on the contrary welcomed a “very satisfactory decision not only for Radio France, but for all journalists“, Who “recognizes that Jean-Luc Mélenchon could not call for hatred with impunity and enshrined the right to freedom to inform“.
Jean-Luc Mélenchon was prosecuted for comments made in a video posted on his Facebook profile on October 19, 2018: there were journalists from franceinfo described as “besotted” and of “liars“after an investigation by Radio France’s investigation unit into its 2017 presidential campaign:”Franceinfo journalists are liars, are cheaters“, he said. “They look like what they are, which is morons. Rot them wherever you can “.
This video was published three days after searches carried out in particular at LFI headquarters and at the home of Jean-Luc Mélenchon as part of an investigation by the Paris prosecutor’s office son the accounts of the 2017 presidential campaign, during which his communication advisor Sophia Chikirou was heard in open hearing. the leader of La France insoumise had denounced “perfect synchronization“according to him between the police, justice, the Elysee and the media and considered to be the subject of”shelling“.
At the hearing before the 17th chamber of the Paris Criminal Court, on November 10, Jacques Monin, director of the investigation unit of Radio France, cited as a witness, explained that the date of publication of the investigation had been scheduled for two months previously, and not in reaction to searches.