“We ask that the director of Fresnes be replaced and that we restore order in this establishment”, declared this Sunday August 21 on franceinfo Emmanuel Baudin, secretary general of the national penitentiary union FO. Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti announced on Saturday that he had “ordered an investigation” administrative after the organization within the prison of Fresnes (Val-de-Marne) of events inspired by the television game “Koh Lanta” for the benefit of associations.
This event, called “Kohlanness”, took place on July 27 within the Val-de-Marne establishment, but a video was broadcast on Friday, in particular on Youtube, immediately sparking a lively controversy. Three teams – inmates, guards and residents of Fresnes – competed in various events: questionnaire, karting, mime or tug of war over a swimming pool.
franceinfo: Was this day a good idea?
Emmanuel Baudin: No, not as it was done, with the buzz. The object was to make the buzz on the networks. As early as July 29, it was denounced in a press release, saying that it served a disservice. Every year, we do things for the associations, we do it discreetly, with the prisoners, the surveillance staff. There, we are really in the extreme and we understand that this can shock our fellow citizens because it shocked us too.
What shocks you?
The karting, the swimming pools, 30 cubic meters of water have been thrown into the sewers when we are in the middle of a heat wave and we are running out of water everywhere. That’s what shocks us, it’s the images, the cost. Two inmates went karting. That much money was spent for two inmates on a prison that has over 1,000 inmates. It is one of the oldest prisons in France, I think there was something else to do. Other operations were done which were just as shocking as the recording of a rap clip.
In your opinion, does this serve prisoners and staff?
Yes. Already, I think there was a problem with the profile, I’m not sure that all the inmates who participated had the profile that matched. Then we can organize rugby matches, lots of things where more prisoners participate and where it does not have an exorbitant cost. We are in a difficult situation in this country and we have brought in swimming pools, kartings. We had other things to do. We do not understand this desire for buzz from the head of the establishment.
Should the head of Fresnes prison be punished?
Since taking office, Fresnes has been seen to decline at the inside management level. We have to restore order in Fresnes, we don’t see that in Fleury. This is repeated, it is not the first operation he has done and it does not correspond to reintegration and what must be done to bring prisoners and guards closer together. We are in the buzz and the extreme. The director must have had validations above him, he did not do this alone, but we ask that the director of Fresnes be replaced, that we restore order in this establishment and that we s busy renovating it. The conditions of detention are terrible, the working conditions of the staff are unbearable and that is what we have to tackle.