- A preliminary investigation into “torture” and “war crimes” was opened this Friday in Paris.
- The investigation follows the government’s reporting on how French members of the Gaza Flotilla were treated by Israel.
One week after the government alert (nouvelle fenêtre)an investigation was opened this Friday, June 5. The national anti-terrorism prosecutor’s office declared to AFP that it had entrusted the Central Office for the Fight against Crimes Against Humanity with a preliminary investigation into “torture” and “war crimes”. An investigation which follows the report from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the mistreatment inflicted (nouvelle fenêtre)to the French members of the Gaza Flotilla, during their provisional detention in Israel.
“Sexual violence” and “repeated humiliation”
Last Friday, the Quai d’Orsay announced that it had taken French legal action (nouvelle fenêtre). Questioned on France Inter, Jean-Noël Barrot then explained that he had based his report to the courts on a “rapport”
of the consul general in Türkiye. A text which stated “sexual violence, exposure to the cold, beatings, but also repeated humiliation against French nationals”
had alerted (nouvelle fenêtre)the Minister of Foreign Affairs. “So many facts which are likely to be criminalized.”
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“A new diplomatic blow for Israel and Benjamin Netanyahu”: this video of Gaza activists arrested and humiliated creates an outcry
The next day, Jean-Noël Barrot announced that France had prohibited access to its territory to the Israeli Minister of National Security after the broadcast of a video of Flotilla activists kneeling with their hands tied, following their interception at sea and their placement in detention in southern Israel. Around fifty ships left Turkey on May 14 with the aim of a new attempt to break the blockade imposed by Israel on the Gaza Strip, ravaged by two years of war. The Israeli authorities announced the arrest of 430 activists – including 37 French – on board the boats, who were all expelled.
