2023-12-06 02:34:43
The newspaper Charlie Hebdo is being sued for defamation before the Valence court (Drôme) after an article published in July 2022, which mentioned links between the Valeurs et successful association, which manages a Muslim school outside of a contract in Valence, and the Islamist brotherhood of the Muslim Brotherhood.
“We want to muzzle and limit freedom of expression”pleaded Me Richard Malka, who defends the satirical weekly. “The essence of the press and journalism is to create debate”he added, stressing that the incriminated article represented “the editorial line of “Charlie Hebdo””.
The article had created controversy and led, according to the association, to the cancellation in October 2022 of the sale of land of 8,400 m2, voted by the city in June, after an intervention by the prefecture. The private primary school, which accommodates around forty students, is currently housed within the grounds of the great mosque of Valencia. It intended to use this land to expand its premises and enter into a contract with the State.
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“Deceitful character”
This link “to the Muslim Brotherhood is an attack on honor” of the school, estimated Me Antoine Pastor, one of his counsel, castigating “the misleading nature of the article” and the “gross errors” committed by its author.
The president of Values and Success, Mourad Jabri, assured that his association had “suffered an injustice” to “dramatic consequences on a project of public interest”. “There is no link between the association and the Muslim Brotherhood”he assured, claiming to be “bruised” and hit with a “tremendous sadness”.
“Dozens of documents in the journalist’s possession” allowed the publication of the article, replied another lawyer from Charlie HebdoMe Marine Viegas.
Beyond the substantive debate, Mr. Malka argued that the complaint was inadmissible due to the statutes of the association which, according to him, “do not give powers to its president” to sue alone for defamation Charlie Hebdo. The decision will be made on December 21.
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