The minister of the Interior Gérald Darmanin, strongly criticized by journalists after having affirmed that they should “get closer to the authorities” to cover the demonstrations before correcting his words, will receive their representatives on Monday, his entourage announced this Thursday, November 19.
Article 24 discussed
The Minister of the Interior will receive nine associations, unions or organizations of journalists, including Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and the National Union of Journalists (SNJ), the same source said.
This meeting aims discuss with them the subject of the role of journalists in monitoring events
, we explained. Section 24
of the bill global security
, considered by journalists’ organizations as an attack on press freedom, can also be approached
.
This article, which is to be debated Friday in the National Assembly, plans to penalize one year in prison and a fine of € 45,000 for the dissemination of facial image or any other identifying element
a police officer or a gendarme in intervention, when the purpose of this is to harm to their physical or mental integrity
.
Controversy
On Wednesday, the Minister of the Interior sparked a heated debate by saying that journalists should to get closer
prefectures upstream of their coverage of events. He then corrected his point in a tweet explaining that it was not mandatory
.
Yes, to avoid confusion during an operation, the national law enforcement plan that I presented in September provides that journalists can, without having to do so, contact the prefectures upstream of demonstrations. 1/2
— Gérald DARMANIN (@GDarmanin) November 18, 2020
Gérald Darmanin was speaking following complaints from several journalists who claimed to have been prevented from filming the dispersion of a rally on Tuesday evening in Paris against the law global security
, which ended with clashes between demonstrators and the police.
Journalists’ unions, numerous editorial staff and other organizations denounced in a joint text infringements of the freedom to inform
at this gathering.
In particular, a journalist from France Televisions was placed in police custody for twelve hours for participation in an unarmed gathering
while filming arrests and received a reminder of the law.
– .
