The question of the use of videoconferencing was invited on Monday at the trial of the January 2015 attacks, interrupted for three weeks because of cases of Covid-19, in particular in the main accused victim of persistent symptoms that prevent his presence in the box.
About a hundred lawyers denounce the order, signed by Minister of Justice Eric Dupond-Moretti, which allows the use of videoconferencing to bring the main accused of the 2015 attacks to court, ill, and thus authorizes the resumption of the trial interrupted since three weeks.
They filed an appeal which must be examined by the Council of State.
The trial was suspended on October 31 after the discovery of three cases of coronavirus contamination among the accused.
Among them: Ali Riza Polat, a 35-year-old Franco-Turk presented as the “right hand” of Hyper Cacher killer Amedy Coulibaly, tried for “complicity” in terrorist crimes.
This suspension was extended on November 16 because of persistent "digestive disorders" of Mr. Polat, incarcerated in a Parisian prison, that a doctor had considered incompatible with his presence in the box.
A final medical examination, carried out on Thursday, concluded that the accused was still unable to appear.
But President Régis de Jorna estimated that “his participation by videoconference” was “possible” to allow the hearing to restart.
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"I can understand that the Chancellery at one point looked for an exit door to this trial" but "this exit door, this emergency exit, this morning is a dead end, it must be admitted », Added Elie Korchia, council of victims of Hyper Cacher.