The Ministry of Justice denies having knowledge of the organization of a “Kohlanness”, inspired by the game show “Koh Lanta”, including a karting race in Fresnes prison. It was a “initiative of the director of the prison with the organizer”, said Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti on Tuesday August 23 to the press, during a visit to the Fleury-Mérogis prison (Essonne). “If I had known that a karting competition was organized, I would have put a very clear veto (…). I was never informed”did he declare.
“I’m going to tell you something very simple: for me, prison is punishment and rehabilitation. In these images, there is neither sanction nor reintegration. Prison should have a deterrent effect,” he added.
On July 27, the event called “Kohlanness”, with in particular karting, mime and tug-of-war events over a swimming pool, took place in a courtyard of the Fresnes prison (Val- de-Marne). The director of the establishment – which had 1,918 inmates for 1,336 places at 1is July –, Jimmy Delliste, congratulated himself on the Twitter of one “moment of fraternal commitment for the benefit of three associations”thanking the organizers.
Opening an investigation
A video of these competitions, broadcast on YouTube on Friday and since removed, provoked outrage from right and far-right figures and led to the launch of an administrative investigation by the Ministry of Justice.
“What the ministry knew was that there was a sports competition in which there was never any question of karting”continued the Keeper of the Seals, during a visit to the site of the former center for minors at the prison of Fleury-Mérogis (Essonne), which will welcome 400 new adult prisoners by 2023. “The minister does not know everything that is going on in detail, it is not his job, the directors have a personal initiative”insisted Eric Dupond-Moretti.
Many sporting or cultural events are regularly organized in prison. In Fresnes, one of the latest was a concert with the Radio France Philharmonic Orchestra in which prisoners took part, in addition to football and basketball tournaments and plays.