How France's shameful deportations help Ramzan Kadyrov's brutal Chechen regime

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Chechen dictator Ramzan Kadyrov. © (grozny-tv) Chechen dictator Ramzan Kadyrov. © (grozny-tv)

In recent months France's interior minister Gérald Darmanin has ordered the expulsion of around a dozen Chechens from the country. This does not just trample over fundamental rights of asylum and the country's commitments under European treaties, says Mediapart's co-founder François Bonnet in this op-ed article. He argues it also means that France is effectively collaborating with Chechen's notorious leader Ramzan Kadyrov, a man accused of overseeing the murder and torture of his opponents.

The 'fake news' story about a French Muslim youth 'beaten up for celebrating Christmas'

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Quick to react to the story, interior minister Gérald Darmanin; seen here at the Élysée in June 2019. © Ludovic Marin / AFP Quick to react to the story, interior minister Gérald Darmanin; seen here at the Élysée in June 2019. © Ludovic Marin / AFP

A news story stating that a Muslim youth was beaten up on Boxing Day for having celebrated Christmas made the headlines in France. The only problem is that, on closer inspection, there is little evidence that the main claim in the story is true. This did not stop it being reported by many media, or prevent police trade unions and the interior minister Gérald Darmanin from expressing their condemnation of the alleged motives of the attack. David Perrotin and Ilyes Ramdani report on the making of a 'fake news' story.

Qatar 2022: probe into World Cup award intrigued by job for Platini’s son

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From left: Sébastien Bazin, Nasser Al-Khelaifi, Nicolas Sarkozy and Michel Platini. © Simon Toupet / Mediapart. Photos AFP From left: Sébastien Bazin, Nasser Al-Khelaifi, Nicolas Sarkozy and Michel Platini. © Simon Toupet / Mediapart. Photos AFP

In an ongoing judicial investigation in France into suspected corruption surrounding the awarding of the 2022 football World Cup to Qatar, evidence seized at the Paris offices of US firm Colony Capital suggests a well-remunerated post handed to Laurent Platini, son of former football star and UEFA president Michel Platini, by Qatari sovereign fund QSI may have been linked to its purchase of French football club PSG. The probe is focused on a crucial lunch meeting at the Élysée Palace in 2010 hosted by then French president Nicolas Sarkozy, and attended among others by Michel Platini and the then crown prince of Qatar. Yann Philippin unravels a complex case involving heads of state, business, diplomacy and arrangements behind closed doors.

The faded scent of Tunisia's Jasmine Revolution

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Un immense portrait de Mohamed Bouazizi à Sidi Bouzid le 27 octobre 2020. © Fethi Belaid/AFP Un immense portrait de Mohamed Bouazizi à Sidi Bouzid le 27 octobre 2020. © Fethi Belaid/AFP

It was ten years ago this month that the desperate act of self-immolation by street vendor Mohamed Bouazizi in the Tunisian town of Sidi Bouzid prompted not only the so-called “Jasmine Revolution” that would topple the regime of strongman president Ben Ali, but also set in train the “Arab Spring” revolt that spread across North Africa. Mediapart spoke to three young men from Sidi Bouzid who took part in the 2010 protests over Bouazizi's plight, and who reflect on what has become of their revolt that created hope of a new democratic future for their country. Lilia Blaise reports.

French modelling agent close to Jeffrey Epstein arrested

Jean-Luc Brunel in November 2017 in Paris. © Document Mediapart Jean-Luc Brunel in November 2017 in Paris. © Document Mediapart

French modelling agent Jean-Luc Brunel, who allegedly procured young women and minors for the late Jeffrey Epstein, was taken into police custody for questioning on Wednesday at Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle airport as he prepared to board a flight to Senegal. Brunel, 74, is a central figure in ongoing investigations into Epstein’s suspected sex-trafficking network in France, and is himself accused by several women of rape and sexual assault.

The catastrophe now upon us

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Emmanuel Macron on a walkabout in Valence, south-east France, after he was slapped by a man in the neighbouring town of Tain L'Hermitage, June 8th 2021. © Nicolas Guyonnet / Hans Lucas via AFP Emmanuel Macron on a walkabout in Valence, south-east France, after he was slapped by a man in the neighbouring town of Tain L'Hermitage, June 8th 2021. © Nicolas Guyonnet / Hans Lucas via AFP

After he was slapped earlier this week in a town in south-east France by a man shouting a medieval royalist battle cry, President Emmanuel Macron described the assault as an “incident” that should be “relativised”, and that “all is well”. On the contrary, writes Mediapart publishing editor Edwy Plenel in this opinion article, all is going badly, and the slap illustrates the far-right violence that has been set loose by the cynicism and irresponsibility of the Macron presidency.

Sarkozy corruption trial defence attack 'empty' prosecution case

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Nicolas Sarkozy on December 8th 2020 as he arrived at court in Paris to hear the prosecution in his corruption trial sum up its case. © Martin Bureau/AFP Nicolas Sarkozy on December 8th 2020 as he arrived at court in Paris to hear the prosecution in his corruption trial sum up its case. © Martin Bureau/AFP

The prosecution has called for jail sentences to be handed out in the Paris corruption trial featuring Nicolas Sarkozy. But in their closing speeches lawyers acting for the former president and his fellow accused, lawyer and close friend Thierry Herzog and retired judge Gilbert Azibert, argued that there was no evidence at all to back the prosecution's claims of corruption and influence peddling. Judgement in the trial has been reserved until March 1st 2021. Mediapart's legal affairs correspondent Michel Deléan reports from the end of an historic trial, the first in which a former French president has been tried on corruption charges.

Paris train and bus operator RATP accused over handling of sexual violence cases

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Some of the staff or former staff at RATP have spoken on Mediapart's 'À l’air libre' programme. © Mediapart Some of the staff or former staff at RATP have spoken on Mediapart's 'À l’air libre' programme. © Mediapart

The huge public transport operator for the Paris region, Régie Autonome des Transports Parisiens, better known by its initials RATP, faces claims over the way it handles allegations of sexual and sexist violence against its female staff. Pregnant employees say they have been badly treated, some women say that perpetrators of sexual violence against them have gone unpunished, while others say that the transport operator's internal procedures dealing with such allegations are not sufficiently clear. Célia Mebroukine investigates the allegations involving the world’s fourth largest public transport operator.

Paris-based football star Ali Benarbia told to repay 4m euros in tax after claiming he lived in Qatar

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Ali Bernarbia was a member of the 'dream team' of football pundits on RMC Sport from 2010 to 2019. © RMC Sport Ali Bernarbia was a member of the 'dream team' of football pundits on RMC Sport from 2010 to 2019. © RMC Sport

Ali Benarbia, the former Manchester City and Monaco player who became a prominent television sports pundit on French television and radio, has been told to pay back taxes of just under 4 million euros by the French tax authorities. Mediapart has learnt that the former Algerian international was paid via a fictitious company in Qatar and claimed to be living in the Middle Eastern country. In fact, he and his family were resident in Paris, tax investigators found. Yann Philippin and Matthieu Suc report.

The curious disappearance of Nicolas Sarkozy's official diaries

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Nicolas Sarkozy at Nice in May 2019. © Lionel BONAVENTURE / AFP Nicolas Sarkozy at Nice in May 2019. © Lionel BONAVENTURE / AFP

When Nicolas Sarkozy was being questioned by judges over claims that his 2007 president election campaign was part-funded by the Libyan regime, he agreed to hand over his official diaries from that period. However, Mediapart understands that his lawyer has now told the judges that the former president is unable to provide any of them. This sudden about-face comes right in the middle of Nicolas Sarkozy's ongoing corruption trial, in which those very same diaries play a prominent role. Fabrice Arfi and Karl Laske report.

Giscard and Macron: the worrying political similarities

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Valéry Giscard d'Estaing at Le Bourget,near Paris, October 14th 2014. © Stéphane de Sakutin/AFP Valéry Giscard d'Estaing at Le Bourget,near Paris, October 14th 2014. © Stéphane de Sakutin/AFP

The death was announced late on Wednesday December 2nd 2020 of Valéry Giscard d’Estaing, aged 94, who was president of France from 1974 to 1981. Here Mediapart's François Bonnet compares Giscard's term of office with the current presidency of Emmanuel Macron. He argues that in a provisional assessment of their achievements the record of the present incumbent of the Élysée does not compare well with his predecessor, especially on social issues. However, there are many similarities between the two men and their presidencies, including the way they came to power and, most ominously, their subsequent slide towards more repressive policies.

Confusion and delay: Sarkozy corruption trial gets off to uncertain start

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Nicolas Sarkozy at the court building in Paris for his trial, November 30th 2020. © Stéphane de Sakutin/AFP Nicolas Sarkozy at the court building in Paris for his trial, November 30th 2020. © Stéphane de Sakutin/AFP

The high-profile trial of Nicolas Sarkozy, in which he is accused of trying to use his influence to find out confidential judicial information, is finally under way in Paris. But the case, the first in which a former French president has faced corruption charges, has been beset by a string of disruptions and by sometimes confusing legal disputes. The result so far, says Mediapart's legal affairs correspondent Michel Deléan, is a trial that has not yet done justice to the issues that are at stake.

Controversial Paris police prefect crosses redline again

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Didier Lallement in his prefect’s attire, July 2020. © Thomas Coex / AFP Didier Lallement in his prefect’s attire, July 2020. © Thomas Coex / AFP

Paris police prefect Didier Lallement has courted controversy before and after his appointment last year as the capital’s law and order chief. Despite his rough-and-tough policing strategy, notably of demonstrations, and his insensitive public comments, this adept of pomp and high-handed authority has survived thanks to the backing of the executive. But, as Camille Polloni reports, following the public and political outrage over separate shocking incidents last week of police violence, he may now be facing the door.

The disgraceful events of the Place de la République

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Place de la République in central Paris on Monday evening, moments before the police charge. © Jerome Gilles / NurPhoto via AFP Place de la République in central Paris on Monday evening, moments before the police charge. © Jerome Gilles / NurPhoto via AFP

On Monday evening in central Paris, migrants and journalists were physically abused by police engaged in a brutal, manu militari evacuation of a makeshift camp set up on the Place de la République. The police violence was exposed in images circulating on social media and which would be banned if draft legislation currently before parliament is approved. In this joint op-ed article, Mediapart co-editor in chief Carine Fouteau and social affairs editor Mathilde Mathieu argue that the overnight events are a representation of the liberticidal drift of President Emmanuel Macron’s administration, and may prove to be a political turning point.

Police violence: why France's interior minister must go

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An image of Michel Zecler following the assault by three French police officers in Paris on November 21st. © Loopsider An image of Michel Zecler following the assault by three French police officers in Paris on November 21st. © Loopsider

There has been widespread outrage in France after video footage emerged of three police officers apparently gratuitously beating a black music producer in Paris, who was left with serious injuries from punches, kicks, baton blows and the explosion of a tear gas grenade in his studio last weekend. François Bonnet argues here that the events highlight how interior minister Gérald Darmanin has made a policy of flattering the most extremist fringes of the police, creating disorder amid heightened police violence. It is high time, he writes, for Darmanin to go.