Eric Zemmour, who had argued that Philippe Pétain had “saved” French Jews during the Second World War, was prosecuted for “challenge to crime against humanity”.
Le Monde with AFP
The public prosecutor’s office has made a cassation appeal against the decision of the Paris Court of Appeal which released Eric Zemmour, prosecuted for “challenge to crime against humanity”, learned the agency-France-press , from a judicial source, Thursday, May 19. The former meeting candidate! The presidential election had argued that Philippe Pétain had “saved” French Jews during the Second World War.
From last week, shortly after the decision of the Court of Appeal rendered on May 12, M e Patrick Klugman, lawyer for SOS-racism, one of the civil parties associations, had Announced an appeal in cassation against the decision.
10,000 euros fine required by call
m. Zemmour had already been released at first instance, but the prosecution and the civil parties had appealed. During the appeal trial, in January, the Advocate General had claimed a sentence of 100 days of 100 euros, a penalty of 10,000 euros fine, towards Mr. Zemmour.
Eric Zemmour’s disputed remarks date back to October 14, 2019, during a debate with the philosopher Bernard-Henri Lévy in the program “Face to the info”, of which he was the star columnist on CNews.
“One day, (…) you dared to say that Pétain had saved French Jews. It is a monstrosity, it is revisionism”, had indignant M. Lévy. “This is once again the real, I’m sorry,” replied Eric Zemmour.
During the trial at first instance, Mr. Zemmour defended himself from any challenge of crime against humanity and had estimated that the debate on the role of the Vichy regime (1940-1944) towards French Jewish citizens had to be decided by historians and not by justice.
Eric Zemmour has already been the subject of fifteen prosecution in court, in particular for racial insult, provocation to hatred or challenge of crime against humanity.