Judicial information targeting former Prime Minister Edouard Philippe, ex-Minister of Health, Agnès Buzyn, and his successor, Olivier Véran, was opened on Tuesday July 7, the Attorney General near the Court announced on Tuesday de cassation, François Molins. This is entrusted to the investigating commission of the Court of Justice of the Republic (CJR), which will act as an investigating judge and lead the investigations, he specifies.
This information is open for the offense of abstaining from fighting a disaster and relates to the management of the coronavirus crisis. It follows the filing of 90 complaints. The requests commission of the CJR had examined 53 of them and finally accepted only nine complaints.
Liable to two years in prison
The offense of abstaining from fighting a disaster is punishable by 2 years in prison and a fine of 30,000 euros. Provided by article 223-7 of the penal code, it punishes “anyone who voluntarily refrains from taking or provoking measures allowing, without risk for him or for third parties, to fight a disaster likely to create a danger for the peoples' security ".
Since the start of the coronavirus epidemic, which has killed nearly 30,000 people in France, the executive has faced a flood of criticism, in particular the shortage of masks, and has been the subject of numerous complaints for "endangering the lives of others ”or“ manslaughter ”.
In a press release, Edouard Philippe said Friday "take note" of the announcement of the opening of a judicial investigation and affirmed that he would bring to the commission "all the answers and information necessary for the understanding of his action and that of his government. "
