(RSF/IFEX) – In a letter to the minister of the interior, Jean-Pierre Chevènement, RSF has expressed its concern about the arrest of several journalists by law enforcement officers at the “7 d’or” television awards ceremony, held in Paris. The organisation demanded “an explanation regarding the behaviour of the police officers who roughed up and arrested […]
(RSF/IFEX) – In a letter to the minister of the interior, Jean-Pierre
Chevènement, RSF has expressed its concern about the arrest of several
journalists by law enforcement officers at the “7 d’or” television awards
ceremony, held in Paris. The organisation demanded “an explanation regarding
the behaviour of the police officers who roughed up and arrested a cameraman
and arrested two other journalists who were covering the event.” Robert
Ménard, RSF’s secretary-general, stated that “we are very surprised by the
police officers’ approach towards journalists exercising their profession.”
According to the information obtained by RSF, on 2 October 1999, Richard
Sovied, a cameraman of the Télé Bocal independent television station, was
roughed up and arrested by police officers. He was covering a demonstration
of the Permanent Confederation of Free Media (Confédération permanente des
médias libres, CPML), which was taking place parallel to the “7 d’or”
ceremony, in front of the “Rex” movie theatre in Paris. According to
eyewitnesses, Sovied was arrested while attempting to interview Pierre
Carles, an independent director who was at the movie theatre’s entrance. He
was forced to the ground, handcuffed, and brutally held to the ground by
four officers. The journalist suffered an injury to his wrist as a
consequence of this police action. Carles was also pushed to the ground and
handcuffed. Both were arrested and taken to the police station, along with
Raphaël Garrigos of the daily “Libération”, and Brendan Kemmet of the daily
“Le Parisien”, all of whom were also covering the ceremony. Garrigos, Kemmet
and Carles, who were arrested for no apparent reason, were released after
spending three hours in custody. Sovied was accused of “rebellion” and was
ordered to appear before the 10th correctional chamber of the Paris High
Court on 11 November.
RSF’s secretary-general added that “considering the accounts of journalists
and eyewitnesses at the scene, we question the validity of this accusation
and ask that the Ministry of the Interior immediately comment on this
matter.”
