France, ‘The Country of Human Rights’

On the international scene, France is perceived as being the country of freedom of speech, of artists, philosophers, men of letters or even the one of poets. The world looks at France. Foreigners remember seeing approximately four million people demonstrate in silence in the streets of the French cities in January 2015 after the attacks, the victims of which were the Charlie Hebdo journalists, because each of them campaigned for the freedom of speech and a free press. Since 1789, the Declaration of Human and Civic Rights is a document of great significance in France as it reflects the ideals of the Republic upon which modern France is founded. It protects the freedom of communication, thoughts and opinions except when one must answer the abuse of this freedom in a frame specified by the law.

My first stay in Moscow was during Christmas 2016 when I gave several interviews to Russian media. In Russia, I was then made aware of the influence exerted internationally by France. Whilst I travelled to Belgium, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom as well as in the United States of America, Mauritius or even Brazil, each of the persons I spoke to was quite astounded to see the violence and the length of my ‘case’. In Moscow, I was not expecting anybody to take an interest in my story. To my great surprise, the French community as well as the French speaking journalists I met there wondered about the image conveyed by the scandal which has taken my life away in the ‘country of Human Rights’. The credibility of France is at stake. I had the feeling that the whole image of our country has to be re-built.

How Whistleblowers are being assassinated by the Elysee

On April 4^th, 2017 the day after the Panama Papers were published, President François Hollande declared that “one must protect whistleblowers (because) they take risks and are useful for our society”. It is useful to remember that nobody knows the name, the face, the nationality of the whistleblower(s) in this case? The President’s words of support are contradicting his actions. For example, French key figures could have publicly been decorated. He could also have ensured that our cases be improved and that some of them be compelled to experience precariousness and be totally forgotten.

Since 2012, all the answers received from the Elysee (The French Presidential Palace) stressed on the fact that the protection of whistleblowers is important for our President and that everything is done for the complexity of their situation to be taken into account. How can one believe these words when looking at France from Moscow? Ed Snowden is a refugee in Russia. He had asked for political asylum in France, which had been denied. In a letter dated July 3^rd, 2015 sent to President Hollande, Julian Assange, an Australian refugee trapped for six years within the Embassy of Ecuador in London, asked for political asylum. It was also denied although these two men had exposed, among other things, information relating to the surveillance of our threeformer heads of State, as WikiLeaks reminded on their Twitter account just before the first round of the spring 2017 French presidential elections.

The Elysee communication strategy is contradictory, if not hypocritical. The declarations of intent are not commitments, even less actions.

I have sent numerous letters to the Elysee, insisting on the necessity for our country to remain ‘the country of freedom’ in the eyes of the world. One of the two last replies I received from President Hollande’s staff in the summer of 2016, according to which is written: “France cannot welcome these men, namely because Julian Assange is subject of a European arrest warrant” or even that “a positive answer cannot be given because of the legal elements of his material situation which moreover does not represent any immediate danger”. The other letter dated September 30^th, 2016 states that: “As far as your concern relating to Mrs Chelsea Manning and Mr Julien (sic) Assange and Edward Swoden (sic again), I did not forget to inform Jean-Marc Ayrault, Minister of Foreign Affairs and of the International Development”. On top of the two spelling mistakes to the first name of one and the family name of the other one (re-typed above), the letter distressingly kicks the ball into doubt when one knows the case of the French diplomat Françoise Nicolas attached to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Photo taken by Mrs. Monique Dits, Free Assange Belgium Committee, Acte 101 - "Protection of Journalists, Publishers and Whistleblowers" 

Christophe Deloire, the Secretary General of Reporters without Borders in France states that: “France has denied asylum to Julian Assange and Edward Snowden whereas it was obvious that Europeans had to protect them. If the Elysee had accepted to welcome and protect Assange and Snowden on our territory, if the President had decorated the ones who ha