The mayor of Viry-Châtillon Jean-Marie Vilain filed a complaint on behalf of the town for defamation against Eric Zemmour after his remarks comparing this town in Essonne to Afghanistan in early February, AFP learned on Friday March 11 from a source. close to the file.
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“
What I'm saying is that in Roubaix, for example, it's Afghanistan two hours from Paris.
And it's not just Roubaix.
There are Trappes, there is Viry-Châtillon, there is Vitry, there are all the suburbs
, ”said Eric Zemmour on February 7 on France Inter.
Remarks "undermining" the "honor of the town"
According to the complaint, "
it is indisputable that the remarks made do indeed undermine the honor and consideration of the commune
", because Afghanistan is "
a theocracy led by the Taliban, an armed group which took power by force and, in particular, violent and torment artists, women and religious minorities
”.
This complaint with civil action was received on Wednesday by the dean of the examining magistrates of the court of Evry, according to a source close to the file.
A deliberation of the municipal council of February 16 authorized the mayor of Viry-Châtillon to file a complaint and to constitute a civil party on behalf of the city.
In addition, the mayor of Trappes (Yvelines), a city also compared to Afghanistan by the far-right candidate, told AFP that he was not going to file a complaint.
Another complaint for defamation against the candidate was already filed in April 2021 in Paris for his remarks: “
Trappes is a Muslim city, it is governed by Muslim law, Islamic law, there is no longer French law there. -down
".
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Eric Zemmour has been convicted several times for his comments, particularly on immigration.
On January 17, he was sentenced to a fine of 10,000 euros for incitement to hatred after having described unaccompanied migrant minors as "
thieves
", "
murderers
", "
rapists
" on the CNews channel in 2020. He appealed.
He must also be tried in Paris in May 2023 for aggravated defamation, for remarks made in 2019 on the “
feminist movement
” and the “
LGBT movement
”.