The French Ambassador to Côte d'Ivoire Gilles Huberson, recalled to Paris for “
sexist
”
behavior
, denounced Monday, September 21, via his lawyer, “
false testimony
” and “
cabals
” having led according to him to these accusations.
"
The facts and remarks with which he is accused result either from false testimonies or from cabals which, if they were prosecuted (in court) would be prescribed
", declared Pierre-Olivier Sur in a press release.
Read also: Côte d'Ivoire: the murderer of journalist Jean Hélène released in October after 17 years in prison
The ambassador was recalled by his hierarchy as part of an "
ongoing administrative investigation
", announced Saturday the Foreign Ministry without further details.
According to the French news site Mediapart, Gilles Huberson, stationed in Abidjan since September 2017, is accused of gender-based and sexual violence by at least five women who have testified internally.
His recall comes at an extremely tense moment in Côte d'Ivoire, where the controversial candidacy of outgoing president, Alassane Ouattara, for his re-election raises fears of electoral violence.
"No prosecution"
His return to Paris in such a context did not fail to fuel speculation on social networks, even if a source familiar with the matter assured AFP that he had nothing "
political
".
"
There is no prosecution for misdemeanor or criminal offense and there will be none,
" said the ambassador's lawyer for his part, calling for a "
scrupulous analysis
" of the charges.
"
The fact remains that if the ambassador is mainly accused of" barracks "sexism, the acts that will have marked his career are the security of France in Africa and the war against terrorism in Mali, while he was ambassador there,
”he added.
"
His action and his personal conduct have been unanimously qualified as exemplary,
" he assured.
A former student of the Ecole Militaire de Saint-Cyr, Gilles Huberson was head of the “
Mali-Sahel
”
interministerial mission
in 2013, during the French military intervention in this country, then French ambassador to Mali from 2013 to 2016 and in Mauritius (2016-2017) before being appointed to Abidjan.
In these functions, he was on the front line in countries and on issues - particularly security - key for France.