“Now we have to think again.” The result of the procedures of the committee against sexual and sexist violence (CVSS) of France insoumise (LFI) is not “not yet satisfactory” and “we must think” to improve them, estimated Friday July 8 Jean-Luc Mélenchon, in an interview with Release.
The leader of rebellious France notably cited the case of Taha Bouhafs. The candidate for the legislative elections, who had been the subject of a report to the committee for alleged sexual violence, had seen his legislative nomination withdrawn by LFI. He came out of his silence on Tuesday to criticize the party for not allowing him to defend himself against these accusations. His lawyers on Thursday denounced a procedure “out of law” conducted by the committee against sexual and gender-based violence.
The party defended itself, explaining that it could not transmit to him “the information sent to the cell”nor organize a confrontation, in the name of “the complainants’ desire for anonymity”while emphasizing that Taha Bouhafs “may be heard” by its authorities.
“The current situation is unsatisfactory. We cannot wash our hands of any aspect of the human result it gives. The system itself is looking for its point of balance. Deciding to believe the word of the women is an arbitrary choice but we assume it. But it can’t be enough.”
Jean-Luc Melenchonin an interview with “Liberation”
For the leader of the Insoumis, “we must be able to tell the person who complained ‘I believe you’ and take the necessary measures. And take into account, at the other end, a young man of 25 who asks to be able to present his defense when he is condemned for life to infamy” and “does not know what he is accused of”he developed.
“How to be for the right to defence, the right to adversarial proceedings and, ourselves in certain circumstances, even with legitimate and compelling reasons, to do the opposite”he asks. “I do not know the answer.”
Jean-Luc Mélenchon also reaffirms that the LFI chairman of the Finance Committee at the National Assembly, Eric Coquerel, targeted by a complaint for sexual harassment, “is not guilty of anything at all” and “is the subject of a rumor and a political operation”.