Olivier Véran, the Minister in charge of Democratic Renewal and government spokesperson, calls on Tuesday August 23 on France Inter to “refocus the debate” concerning the event called “KohLantess”, these filmed events, organized in July within the prison of Fresnes (Val-de-Marne), on the model of the show Koh-Lanta. According to him, “renovate prisons” and “supporting the reintegration of detainees”which the government says it is working towards, is “more important than that go-kart race that shouldn’t have happened in that prison”.
“KohLantess” at Fresnes Prison: “Neither the office of the Minister of Justice, nor even the central director of the prison administration” were aware, says government spokesman Olivier Véran. pic.twitter.com/J6MSvoqY6k
– France Inter (@franceinter) August 23, 2022
The government spokesperson says “neither the office of the Minister of Justice, nor even the central director of the prison administration were aware that there was a kart race or a temporary swimming pool in the prison of Fresnes”. He also confirms that the event has been validated “by the director of Fresnes prison”.
However, Olivier Véran says “to understand” that this event “puts the French in tension, starting with the victims and the police”, while two of the participating inmates were convicted of crimes, including one for rape. According to him, this controversy “uneven”she “surprise”because this event is “totally contradictory to what we imagine to be the reality of prisons”. “It’s debating and it’s normal”he continues.
“But everyone is aware that this is not everyday life in the prison”adds Olivier Véran, recalling that “everyday in the prison this summer was a heat wave, three inmates per cell and difficult conditions of detention”. “Prison is there to punish, it is the case, it is also there to prepare for reintegration”he specifies, assuring that this is what is done in particular with the Goncourt prize for prisons set up by the government and that Olivier Véran judges “more interesting in terms of reintegration than a kart race”.