France

“The threat these days doesn’t come just from repressive governments like those in Russia or Turkey. Nor it is even confined to democratic states on the road to authoritarianism like Hungary and Poland. It now also comes from elected governments in states whose democracies appear in better health, such as France, Greece, Italy, and the UK.”

“The judicial investigation launched by the ‘cyber’ section at the Paris prosecutor’s office on 1 July is the result of a series of complaints filed over the past year, above all by RSF which – together with 25 journalists from ten countries – filed a total of four complaints.”

Hope that French journalist Olivier Dubois is alive was renewed after a new video of him recently surfaced on the internet 11 months after his abduction.

In a heart to heart interview with Angela Quintal of CPJ, kidnapped journalist Oliver Dubois’ partner Deborah Al Hawi Al Marsi talks about the precautions he took each time he went out on a risky assignment and her belief that he will return home.

France’s capital Paris and 12 other cities put up banners calling for the release of French journalist Olivier Dubois, who was kidnapped in Mali 6 months ago.

“ARTICLE 19 is concerned about a series of draft laws and decisions in France that significantly impede the exercise of freedom of expression and access to information. These include the Global Security Bill, the dissolution of certain non-governmental organisations, and the Bill to strengthen “respect for republican principles.”

Those who disseminate images with the “intent to cause harm” would face up to one year in prison and fines of up to 45,000 euros.

Following the publication of a cartoon of Erdoğan lifting a veiled woman’s dress, the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs demanded political and legal action against ‘Charlie Hebdo’.

Samuel Paty was murdered on his way home from work because he had discussed the “Charlie Hebdo” trial in class and showed images of the cartoons at the centre of the case.

The complaint accuses unidentified police officers – who are tasked by the state with protecting lives and property – with deliberate violence against media personnel and damage to their property during the “gilets jaunes” protests.

The latest wave of protests in France, this time against a proposed pension reform, have seen reporters injured by police batons, burned by sting ball grenades, taken into custody, and their equipment smashed.

In the past year, 54 journalists were injured and there were more than 120 incidents between journalists and
police at the “gilets jaunes” protests.The French Interior Ministry is expected to publish a new policy for policing protests soon.

Privacy International reveals how popular websites about depression in France, Germany and the UK share user data with advertisers, data brokers and large tech companies, while some depression test websites leak answers and test results with third parties.

Another heavy-handed police response to protesters saw the group ‘Extinction Rebellion’ targeted from close range with tear gas as they staged a sit-in on France’s hottest day ever.

The eight journalists have been working on stories such as French arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the apparent cover-up of alleged offences by former top presidential security aide Alexandre Benalla.

Mediapart ran a report on Alexandre Benalla, President Macron’s former security officer, based on leaked documents and secret audio recordings; Benalla was fired in July for beating up a protester during the May Day demonstrations.