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Epstein case: Ghislaine Maxwell's family seizes the UN

2021-11-22T21:34:21.162Z


The family of Ghislaine Maxwell, detained in the United States in connection with the Epstein case, seized UN experts on Monday, believing that its maintenance ...


The family of Ghislaine Maxwell, detained in the United States in connection with the Epstein case, seized UN experts on Monday, saying that her continued detention is unjustified and that she has no chance of having a fair trial, AFP learned from lawyers.

Ghislaine Maxwell's brothers and sisters denounce

"serious violations of the rights of the defense and the presumption of innocence, unworthy and degrading treatment that our sister has suffered and continues to suffer in prison where she has been held in solitary confinement since 500 days unjustifiably ”,

according to a press release from lawyers François Zimeray and Jessica Finelle, specializing in human rights cases.

Read also Ghislaine Maxwell's release request rejected on appeal

The latter lodged their request in Geneva (Switzerland) with the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, which has no coercive power but whose appeals have weight because of the reputation of independence and seriousness of its investigations. These experts do not speak for the organization. The two lawyers stress that their approach is independent of the substantive defense provided in the United States and based solely on what they consider to be

"numerous violations of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights"

, ratified by the United States. United, and the UN rules on the treatment of prisoners, known as the Mandela Rules.

Ghislaine Maxwell's trial is due to begin on November 29 in New York (United States), two years after the suicide in prison of American billionaire Jeffrey Epstein, accused of sex crimes against underage girls. The daughter of press magnate Robert Maxwell, born near Paris on December 25, 1961, has triple French, British and American nationality. Accused of having recruited minors for the financier and his entourage, she faces life imprisonment at the end of a trial that will last six weeks. The request filed Monday estimates that Ghislaine Maxwell can no longer benefit from a fair trial.

“There is a narrow line between justice and revenge. We are not fighting against the complainants but against arbitrariness. Before the court of public opinion, Ghislaine Maxwell was presumed guilty, condemned and demonized before any judgment, ”

underline the lawyers. They also accuse the American authorities of having imprisoned her in particularly harsh conditions.

"Everything is happening as if Ghislaine Maxwell suffered the consequences of the inability of the American administration to preserve the life of Jeffrey Epstein and to guarantee his trial"

, they argue. The request also denounces detention

"under an exceptional regime"

: isolation, numerous daily body searches, 24-hour surveillance, etc.

During her trial, she will plead not guilty to the six charges for which she faces up to 80 years in prison, according to her defense in the United States.

Source: lefigaro

All news articles on 2021-11-22

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