On 20 April 2019, video journalist Gaspard Glanz was arrested while filming a demonstration in Paris’ Place de la République. Gaspard runs the photo news agency, Taranis News, which covers social movements in France.
After his arrest, Glanz was placed in custody for “insulting a representative of law enforcement” and “participating in a group in order to provoke acts of violence and destruction.” Glanz was assigned an “S card,” indicating that he is considered to be a serious threat to national security, and may be subject to increased surveillance. He was also banned from entering Paris to cover subsequent Yellow Vest demonstrations, a measure that could leave him unable to do his work and earn a living.
Glanz remained in custody until 22 April, when he was released. Along with his lawyer, he confirmed his intention to contest the ban, which was ultimately annulled by the criminal court of Paris on 29 April, due to insufficient grounds.
Glanz was able to go to Paris on 1 May and on the following Saturdays, when the Yellow Vests hold their protests.
Glanz initially became known in France after his video reporting on social movements and protests such as the demonstrations against the labor law, the Nuit debout (“up all night”) movement, and the Yellow Vest demonstrations, as well as his reporting on the living conditions of refugees in Calais.
According to the police, Glanz was arrested for “participating in a group in order to commit acts of violence and destruction” and for “insulting a law enforcement official,” for giving the finger to a police officer. The former accusation is legally difficult to prove and was withdrawn upon his release.
Glanz described the conditions of his custody on Reporterre, a French news site with a focus on environmental issues:
He also explained what he saw as the real reasons for his arrest:
Solidarity with Glanz
The national press and media rights organizations have come out in support of Glanz. Many criticisms have been leveled against the ministry of the interior, which has argued that Glanz didn’t have a press card. The card implies that the bearer works for an employer, but French law does not require journalists to carry a press card in order to do their work in public spaces.
#GiletsJaunes : @RSF_inter et @SNJ_national dénoncent des atteintes à la “liberté fondamentale d’informer” https://t.co/zvQnNlAftk #AFP pic.twitter.com/MeJtrFZzFn
— Agence France-Presse (@afpfr) April 21, 2019
Reporters Without Borders and the Sociétés de Journalistes de Libération have criticized “attacks on the freedom of the press.”
#GiletsJaunes: @RSF_inter and @SNJ_national denounce attacks on the “fundamental freedom of the press.” https://t.co/zvQnNlAftk #AFP pic.twitter.com/MeJtrFZzFn — Agence France-Presse (@afpfr) 21 April 2019
Attorneys have pointed out the legal inconsistencies of the minister of the interior’s arguments:
Justice indépendante? Au-delà de l’atteinte à la liberté d’informer, les mesures du contrôle judiciaire du journaliste @GaspardGlanz interrogent sur l’indépendance de la justice https://t.co/VhcIp9Pjpd
— Le SAF (@syndicatavocats) April 26, 2019
An independent justice? Apart from the attack on the freedom of the press, the measures against the journalist @GaspardGlanz call into question the independence of the judiciary branch https://t.co/VhcIp9Pjpd — SAF [lawyers’ union] (@syndicatavocats) 26 April 2019
« Je rappelle à #GaspardGlanz qu’il existe dans notre pays une séparation des pouvoirs »
En préjugeant – es qualité de ministre de l’intérieur – de la commission d’un délit à la place d’un juge indépendant.
Quelqu’un pour rappeler à M Castaner la séparation des pouvoirs ? https://t.co/bZUggfy5Zm
— AuPalais (@palais_au) April 26, 2019
The solidarity of French mainstream media journalists has been robust. The political editorialist for Radio France Inter gave the definition of a journalist, explaining how Gaspard Glanz fit the definition on every point:
Qu’est-ce qu’un journaliste ?
L’édito de @lofejoma #le79Inter pic.twitter.com/c3q025J9g9— France Inter (@franceinter) April 25, 2019
Another target of attacks on media freedom: the investigative site Disclose
On 24 April, four days after the arrest of Gaspard Glanz, two reporters from the investigative media website Disclose and one Radio-France reporter were called before the DGSI, the intelligence service of the ministry of the interior, for revealing secret defense documents as part of their investigation “Made in France,” on the massive use of French lethal weapons in the war in Yemen by Saudi Arabia and its coalition.
[URGENT] Deux journalistes de https://t.co/aJsaTD26Fz sont convoqués dans le cadre d’une enquête pour “compromission du secret de la défense nationale” suite à une plainte du ministère des Armées. #yemenpapers #madeinfrance @Mediapart @InvestigationRF @ARTEInfo @konbininews pic.twitter.com/heA1zeXML2
— Disclose (@Disclose_ngo) April 24, 2019
Once again, journalists were loud and clear in asserting their solidarity. Rue89 Strasbourg wrote:
This article was sourced from Global Voices.
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