The prosecution estimated Friday, September 11 that the title of an article on the vacation of two ministers in Corsica in August 2017 "
at a
convicted person
" and "
a former drug trafficker
" was not defamatory.
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The online information site appeared before the 17th chamber of the Paris Criminal Court, sued for defamation by the current Ministers of the Interior and Overseas, Gérald Darmanin and Sébastien Lecornu, respectively Minister of Public Accounts and Secretary of State to the Minister responsible for the Ecological Transition at the material time.
The title of the article, only targeted by the complaint of the two men, not present in court, "does
not affect the honor and the consideration
" of the two plaintiffs, said the prosecutor.
On August 16, 2017, Mediapart published an article entitled “
two ministers rent the villa in Corsica from a convict
”.
Another title, also targeted by the complaint of Gerald Darmanin and Sébastien Lecornu indicated “
two ministers rent the villa of a former drug trafficker
”.
These titles are based on "
a factual basis
", said the prosecutor while conceding that a press title "
accepts a certain dose of exaggeration
".
"Be careful where you spend your vacation"
Present at the hearing alongside the journalist author of the offending article, Edwy Plenel, publication director of Mediapart pleaded good faith.
"
The goal was to tell the two ministers: be careful where you spend your vacation
."
He said he wanted to warn about "
a serious failure
" of the state services which, according to him, failed to warn the two ministers that they were going to spend a vacation with a person linked to "
island organized crime
".
In August 2017, Gérald Darmanin and Sébastien Lecornu spent a few days of vacation in a villa north of Ajaccio officially belonging to Christelle Godani, ex-companion of Gilbert Casanova, convicted on several occasions, in particular for trafficking in cannabis.
Although officially divorced, Ms. Godani and Mr. Casanova still live together and they personally welcomed Sébastien Lecornu and Gérald Darmanin on their arrival in Corsica, argued the journalist who wrote the article.
“
I didn't know if Lecornu and Darmanin really knew who they were with,
” she said at the stand.
The lawyer for the two ministers, Me Philippe Blanchetier recalled that many personalities have stayed in this villa (referenced on vacation rental sites) without Mediapart considering devoting an article to this subject.
"To
write in a title" Two ministers rent the villa in Corsica from a convict "it amounts to saying that these two ministers spent their holidays with this convict
," he said.
Mediapart lawyer, Emmanuel Tordjman pleaded for "
a nice release
".
According to him, the offending article provided information that "
the public has a right to know
".
As for the title, targeted by the complaint, it is "
a model of moderation with only the fact
", he maintained.
The judgment will be rendered on November 13.
