Justice granted, Thursday, March 17, a suspension of sentence “for medical reasons” to Yvan Colonna, after his violent attack at the prison of Arles (Bouches-du-Rhône), at the beginning of March, learned Agence France-Presse (AFP) from a judicial source.
Lawyers for the Corsican independence activist – who was serving a life sentence for his involvement in the 1998 assassination of Prefect Claude Erignac in Ajaccio – had made the request, while he is still hospitalized between life and death. The law provides that a prison sentence may be suspended in the event of a life sentence.
This decision was made by the judge responsible for the application of anti-terrorist sentences, following a favorable opinion from the anti-terrorist prosecutor’s office.
“It’s a relief for the family”reacted one of Yvan Colonna’s lawyers, Sylvain Cormier, welcoming “the work of justice which has made full use of the emergency system” provided for by law. The decision means that Yvan Colonna “is no longer in the hands of justice and therefore no longer comes under the prison administration”, said the judicial source. Visits from relatives should be facilitated, a visit permit no longer being necessary.
Yvan Colonna had been very seriously injured by another inmate who had attacked him in Arles prison on March 2. He is still in a coma since, in a hospital in Marseille, in a state “Very serious”according to one of his lawyers, Mr.e Patrice Spinosi.
His attacker Franck Elong Abé was serving several sentences, including one of nine years’ imprisonment for “terrorist criminal association”. He was indicted on March 6 for “attempted assassination in connection with a terrorist enterprise”.
Emmanuel Macron calls for calm
Definitively sentenced to life in prison since 2012, Yvan Colonna has been released since 2021. Unlike the other two members of the commando who participated in the assassination of the prefect, Alain Ferrandi and Pierre Alessandri, he had not filed a sentence. on the date of his assault.
The government announced on March 8 that Yvan Colonna was no longer considered a “specially reported detainee” (DPS). ” This decision (…) is based on the particular seriousness of Mr. Colonna’s health situation”had then argued Matignon.
This DPS status was also lifted on Friday for Pierre Alessandri and Alain Ferrandi, who should therefore be able to serve the rest of their sentences in a Corsican prison.
In Corsica, multiple demonstrations in support of Yvan Colonna have been organized over the past two weeks, in particular at the call of student and high school student unions, and at the cry of“murderous French state”. They were punctuated by clashes and other violence. A new demonstration, on March 13 in Bastia, turned to “the riot”, according to the prosecution. Sixty-seven people were injured, including 44 members of the security forces.
Emmanuel Macron on Thursday put the return to calm before any discussion on the status of Corsica. “The violence we have experienced in recent days is unacceptable. I want here to salute the courage and the composure of our police forces who had to undergo an unprecedented and unspeakable surge of violence.said the Head of State, during a press conference devoted to the presentation of his program for the presidential election.
“We are ready to go as far as autonomy” Concerning Corsica, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said in an interview with Corse-Matin. “The question is what is this autonomy? We need to discuss it”, added the interior minister. But the prelude to a discussion between Corsican elected officials and the government on the future of the community is a return to calm, Darmanin insisted: “There cannot be sincere dialogue in a democracy under the pressure of agricultural bombs and the presence, or omnipresence, of the forces of order. »
In this interview, the Minister also acknowledged a “responsibility of the State, as protector of the people who are under its responsibility, in this case prisoners”in the aggression of Yvan Colonna.