A law teacher-researcher at the University of Haute-Alsace (UHA), convicted of sexual harassment of a student, was dismissed from his position by the establishment, he told AFP on Thursday, announcing his intention to appeal.
“A predictable decision has been made.
I reserve my comments and observations for the appeal judgment before which a request for a stay of execution has also been submitted,” explained Bertrand Pauvert in an email, confirming information from France 3 Alsace.
According to Rue89 Strasbourg, this decision was taken unanimously.
It was made by the disciplinary section of the UHA, relocated for the occasion to the Belfort Montbéliard University of Technology (UTBM).
Requested by AFP, the UHA, whose campus is located in Mulhouse and Colmar, referred to its lawyer, François Gerber, who could not be reached.
The decision of the disciplinary council was taken unanimously
Convicted of sexual harassment, Professor Bertrand Pauvert dismissed from his functions #strasbourg https://t.co/fscB8U4ZCV
— Rue89 Strasbourg (@Rue89Strasbourg) January 17, 2024
The affair broke out in October 2021, when several students denounced to the University, with supporting recordings, “sexist, denigrating remarks” and “attitudes, during sessions dedicated to courses, which according to them were characteristic of harassment against them,” reported the regional daily L’Alsace at the time.
Already provisionally suspended since October 2021, Bertrand Pauvert was sentenced in July 2022 for sexual harassment to one year in prison with a ban on practicing for three years, a sentence which the academic had appealed.
On appeal, only one case retained out of 15 facts denounced
In September 2023, out of 15 facts denounced, the Colmar Court of Appeal acquitted him for 14 of them, ultimately retaining only one case of sexual harassment of a student.
He appealed to the Court of Cassation against this ruling.
Also a municipal elected official in Mulhouse (ex-RN, he joined Reconquête in 2022), the teacher was then sentenced to six months of suspended imprisonment and a one-year ban on teaching, a period covered by the ban imposed. in first instance and which therefore opened up to Bertrand Pauvert the possibility of resuming his classes.
A student petition had collected nearly 3,000 signatures
A prospect which had aroused great excitement within the Haut-Rhin campus: a petition against this return, launched by the Solidarity Community of Eastern Lands (CSTE), a local student union, collected nearly 3,000 signatures.
The union hails a “victory” on its site.
“This decision by the disciplinary commission goes in the direction of taking into account the words of the victims,” he believes.
However, “if we rejoice today, we remain bitter for those who were not listened to and respected,” he continues.
An appeal for summary suspension
Lawyer Sophie Herren told Rue 89 that her client Bertrand Pauvert intends to appeal this disciplinary sanction to the National Council for Higher Education and Research (Cneser).
She plans to launch an interim suspension appeal to suspend the decision taken by the disciplinary council, so that her client can resume his activity more quickly.