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Alerts - France

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France

Threat from use of Internet surveillance to combat terrorism

RSF is concerned by a proposal by President Nicolas Sarkozy that would punish “any person who habitually consults websites that advocate terrorism or call for hatred and violence”.

France

Genocide-denial law declared unconstitutional

ARTICLE 19 says the law's severe criminal sanctions would have interfered disproportionately with an individual's right to engage in historical debate.

Turkey / France / Germany

Turkish newspaper's Europe offices attacked

"Zaman" is blaming Kurdish militants for violence in Paris and Cologne, including an arson attack on its offices in the latter city. The newspaper also accused PKK supporters of carrying out prior attacks on its offices in London, Vienna and Zurich.

France

Documentary filmmaking threatened by court ruling

A court in the northern city of Lille has ordered documentary filmmaker Sophie Robert to remove interviews with three psychoanalysts from her film about the treatment of autism and to pay them a large sum in damages for “misrepresenting” their views.

France

Senate must reject Armenian Genocide law, says ARTICLE 19

The adoption of a law criminalising any denial of the 1915 Armenian genocide would be in conflict with France’s obligation to respect the right to freedom of expression under international law.

France

IFJ welcomes legal victory on protection of journalists' sources

The Appeal Court ruled yesterday that judge Philippe Courroye, who initiated a procedure to identify information leaks in the "Woerth-Bettencourt" case in September 2010, had infringed the law on protection of sources by trying to access detailed phone records of three journalists working at the daily newspaper "Le Monde".

France

IFJ condemns violent attack against satirical weekly

The offices of "Charlie Hebdo" were almost completely destroyed by a criminal fire caused by a molotov cocktail; the attack happened on the day the magazine published a special edition called "Sharia Weekly" to "celebrate the victory" of the Islamist party Ennahda in Tunisia.

France

IFJ concerned by threats against journalists after television report on Palestine

A broadcast on the question "Is a Palestinian state possible?" drew a hostile reaction from some viewers, including verbal attacks on the programme's presenters.

France

European Union's Telecoms Package incorporated into French law

"The Telecoms Package has been adopted at the national level without any parliamentary debate although it changes the concept and vision of the Internet in France," RSF said.

France

Investigative journalist receives death threat

Fabrice Arfi is involved in a sensitive investigation into armed attacks in Karachi.

Uzbekistan / France

French court dismisses defamation suit filed by Uzbek president's daughter

Lola Karimova had sought moral damages against online news agency Rue89 for a May 2010 article that called her the daughter of "dictator Karimov," and alleged she was "whitewashing Uzbekistan's image" through charity events.

France / Israel

French judge dismisses journalist's complaint against Israeli military

Jacques-Marie Bourget was seriously injured while covering the Second Intifada in October 2000, sustaining a gunshot wound that was operated on locally after the Israeli military refused to transfer him.

France / Uzbekistan

Uzbek president's daughter sues French news website for libel

Lola Karimova was described in a Rue89 article as a "dictator's daughter" who uses charity events to "whitewash her country's image."

France

Court cites need to protect confidentiality of journalists' sources as grounds for ruling in "Le Monde" reporters' case

The court ruled that a prosecutor acted illegally when he allowed the police to examine the phone records of two reporters who were covering a high-profile case involving a L'Oréal heiress.

France

Criminal defamation case threatens academic freedom

The trial of two professors highlights the challenges posed by France's criminal defamation law to academic freedom and freedom of expression in general.

France

IFJ denounces latest attack on protection of sources

"The law on protection of sources has been grossly violated in France, apparently on the orders of the highest leaders of this country," said IFJ.

France

Government allegedly violates law on confidentiality of sources

The government allegedly used a domestic intelligence agency to identify an official who leaked information about an investigation into a case involving the labour minister and L'Oréal heiress.

France

IFJ condemns appointment process of France Télévisions head

President Sarkozy announced his nomination of the new France Télévisions head.

Kosovo (Serbia) / France

French foreign minister refers to Voice of America reporter as "sick" and "insane"

IPI condemns the manner in which the minister behaved towards Budimir Nicic in the town of Gracanica.

Tunisia / France

Exiled Tunisian journalist receives multiple death threats

Slim Bagga, a critical Tunisian journalist living in France has received repeated death threats.

France

Government pushes through "spruced up" version of draconian Internet piracy bill

RSF is concerned that accelerated procedures will deny legislators the time to properly debate a bill that threatens the right to Internet access.

France

Threat to freedom and privacy from police use of spyware

RSF is worried about a bill that would allow police to use spyware to obtain information from privately-owned computers and Internet cafés.

France

Journalists' syndicate files complaint over arrest of reporter

A journalist interning with "Le Monde" newspaper was arrested while covering a demonstration in Montreuil and held for some nine hours, overnight.

France

Government plan to disconnect Internet pirates is unconstitutional, council rules

RSF hails the Constitutional Council's decision on 10 June 2009 to reject a key provision of a new law that would have enabled authorities to disconnect Internet access of those involved in the illegal downloading of music and films.

France

TV reporter cleared of inciting teenager in body piercing "suspension"

Reporters Without Borders welcomes the 12 May 2009 decision by a court in the southern city of Toulouse to acquit TV reporter Isabelle Cottenceau of inciting a teenager to allow himself to be suspended from body piercings in his back

France

Journalist injured during meeting in Paris in support of Algerian president

(RSF/IFEX) - RSF condemns the assault on Samia Baba Aïssa, an Algerian journalist based in France who works for Radio Orient, during a 28 March 2009 meeting in Paris in support of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, who is a candidate in upcoming elections.

Martinique / France

Offices of Tac Presse TV production company raided by police following of documentary containing racist comments

(RSF/IFEX) - Reporters Without Borders is shocked by a raid on the TV production company Tac Presse in a Parisian suburb, on 2 March 2009, in connection with a documentary about Martinique in which a member of the French Caribbean island's white business elite, Alain Huyghues-Despointes, made racist comments.

France

Journalist humiliated, arrested, released after several hours in alleged libel case

(RSF/IFEX) - Reporters Without Borders has protested at the "unacceptable and humiliating" treatment of journalist Vittorio de Filippis, managing editor of the daily "Libération" from May to December 2006, who was arrested at his home in the early morning on 28 November, detained and subjected to body searches before being taken before a Paris judge.

France

Legislating "historical facts" undermines intellectual freedom, says report

(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) - The following is an ARTICLE 19 press release:

France

Journalist from state-owned television station France 3 asked to reveal sources for report about Moroccan arrest warrants

(RSF/IFEX) - Reporters Without Borders is exasperated to learn that Joseph Tual, a journalist with the French state-owned TV station France 3, was questioned on 20 November 2008 by a court in Lille on suspicion of "violating professional confidentiality" in a report about new developments in the investigation into the 1965 disappearance of Moroccan opposition politician Medhi Ben Barka in Paris.

France

Plan to "modernise" statutes of AFP news agency threatens to undermine its independence and credibility, says IFJ

(IFJ/IFEX) - The following is a 27 October 2008 media release from the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), an IFJ regional group:

Russia / France

Lawyer for slain journalist's family falls ill, possibly poisoned

(CPJ/IFEX) - The following is a 14 October 2008 CPJ press release:

France

Sarkozy proposals on press raise concerns over media independence

(IFJ/IFEX) - The following is a 6 October 2008 IFJ media release:

France / Côte d'Ivoire

Witness claims pressure from French presidency in case of kidnapped journalist

(RSF/IFEX) - Reporters Without Borders said it was mystified to learn at a meeting with the French investigating judges in the Guy-André Kieffer abduction case that a witness has claimed to have been put under pressure from within the French presidency not to testify before the judges.

France

Two regional newspapers raided

(RSF/IFEX) - Reporters Without Borders is "exasperated" by the raids carried out by police and judicial officials on two daily newspapers in the western city of Poitiers on 30 September 2008 for allegedly violating the confidentiality of a judicial investigation into a murder case.

France / Saudi Arabia

European satellite operator Eutelsat drops Saudi opposition TV station

(RSF/IFEX) - Reporters Without Borders is concerned about French-based satellite operator Eutelsat's decision to stop carrying Al Islah TV, the mouthpiece of a Saudi exile group, on Eutelsat's Hotbird satellite on 22 July 2008. The Saudi opposition group, called the Movement for Islamic Reform in Arabia (MIRA), is based in the UK.

France

Auto magazine reporter detained for 48 hours and charged in connection with industrial spying complaint

(RSF/IFEX) - After being held for 48 hours, Bruno Thomas, a reporter with the Paris-based car magazine "Auto Plus", was charged on 17 July 2008 in connection with an industrial spying complaint brought by the French car-maker Renault in 2007 when the magazine published photos of future Renault models.

France / Côte d'Ivoire

President Gbagbo's associates fail to cooperate with French probe into journalist's disappearance

(RSF/IFEX) - Simone Gbagbo, the wife of Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo, and former Ivorian economy minister Paul-Antoine Bohoun Bouabré failed to respond to a summons from French investigating judge Patrick Ramaël for questioning on 10 July 2008 in Paris as witnesses in his probe into the disappearance of journalist Guy-André Kieffer, a dual French-Canadian national, in Côte d'Ivoire in 2004.

France

President's proposal on appointment of public television president threatens independence of public service broadcasting, says ARTICLE 19

(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) - The following is a 27 June 2008 ARTICLE 19 press release:

France

Craintes et propositions de RSF sur le projet de loi réglementant la protection du secret des sources des journalistes

France

EFJ "shocked" by President Sarkozy's accusation of media bias and censorship of his party

(IFJ/IFEX) - The following is a 9 May 2008 media release from the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), an IFJ regional group:

China / France

French Olympic committee capitulates to pressure from IOC and China to prohibit athletes from wearing "For a better world" badge

(RSF/IFEX) - Reporters Without Borders is dismayed by the decision of the French National Olympic and Sports Committee (CNOSF) to prohibit French athletes from wearing a badge saying "For a better world" during the Beijing Olympic Games.

France

IPA condemns call for boycott of Paris Salon du Livre international book fair

(IPA/IFEX) - The following is an IPA press release:

France

Appointment of minister's wife as head of international public broadcaster criticised

(IFJ/IFEX) - The following is a 21 February 2008 media release from the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), an IFJ regional group:

France

Plan to strip broadcaster of commercial revenue promotes fears for future of public broadcasting

(IFJ/IFEX) - The following is a media release from the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), an IFJ regional group:

France

President Sarkozy files suit against website for "falsification and use and procurement of false documents"

(RSF/IFEX) - Reporters Without Borders condemns President Nicolas Sarkozy's use of the "toughest way" to sue the website of the "Nouvel Observateur" newspaper. "The president is suing the newspaper under criminal law when he could well have brought a civil suit for violation of privacy," the press freedom organisation said.

France / Vietnam

French journalist and activist freed after being held for 25 days, nine dissidents still detained

(RSF/IFEX) - Reporters Without Borders welcomes the release on 12 December 2007 of French journalist and activist Nguyen Thi Thanh Van after 25 days in detention. The French authorities confirmed that she has left Vietnam. She is due to arrive at Paris' Charles de Gaulle airport at 10:35 a.m. (local time) on 13 December. Nguyen Thi Thanh Van was accused of "terrorism" by the Vietnamese authorities together with three US citizens who were released on 11 December.

France

"Le Monde" reporter faces five-year sentence and fine for publishing state secrets related to 9/11 hijackings

(CPJ/IFEX) - The following is a 10 December 2007 CPJ press release:

France

Investigative journalist spends two days being interrogated and pressured at intelligence agency's headquarters

(RSF/IFEX) - The following is a 7 December 2007 press release:

France

RSF notes its concern about threats to press freedom as Europe marks "Stand up for Journalism" day

(RSF/IFEX) - The following an RSF press release:

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