A preliminary investigation was opened in Monaco and entrusted to the police of the Principality after the filing of a criminal complaint against the questioning on the internet of several relatives of Prince Albert, AFP learned Thursday (October 28) from the public prosecutor's office. Monegasque.
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For ten days or so, websites based abroad, including a site called "
Les Dossiers du Rocher
", have denounced the practices of "
Monegasque personalities, politicians and influential businessmen
", with the ultimate goal of "
manipulate and influence Monaco's institutions in their own interests,
”the
Monaco-Matin
daily
(
Nice-Matin group
)
explained Thursday
.
Didier Linotte, president of the Supreme Court of the Principality, Laurent Anselmi, government advisor-Minister of External Relations, as well as two relatives of Prince Albert II, his lawyer Thierry Lacoste and Claude Palmero, the administrator of his goods.
The various sites, which take the form of fake media, are hosted in Iceland and the United States according to a source familiar with the matter.
Via their publications, they question "
the probity and loyalty
" of the four men, the accusations being then relayed on social networks by accounts created for this operation.
"
Breach of professional secrecy
"
The investigation was opened after the filing of a criminal complaint in Monaco by Me Marie-Alix Canu-Bernard, lawyer for the four people concerned, in particular for "
violation of correspondence
" and "
violation of professional secrecy
". The lawyer filed "
additional complaints due to new broadcasts,
" she told AFP on Thursday. In addition, civil complaints were filed Wednesday in Paris, in particular for "
defamation
", "
false accusations
" and "
slanderous accusations
", AFP learned from Me Luc Brossollet, who defends Thierry Lacoste, while his partner Olivier d'Antin defends Didier Linotte. Regarding Thierry Lacoste, “
another complaint will be filed tomorrow (Friday) for violation of correspondence and hacking
”, specified Me Brossollet.
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The Prince's Palace, contacted by AFP, did not give an official reaction, referring to the interview granted by Prince Albert in
Monaco-Matin
, in which he condemned a "
defamatory and anonymous campaign of rumors that targets several servants of the Principality
”.
According to a source familiar with the matter, this campaign aims to "
destabilize the Principality and take control of the Rock
" and "
prevent a series of appointments and a government reshuffle
" envisaged at the end of November, just after the National Day on November 19.
On this occasion, according to the same source, Prince Albert would like "
to separate from old truck drivers in local politics to thoroughly renew the government team and bring out new talents
".
