Detained and under house arrest since March 2017 in China for a case of stale flour, French pastry chef Laurent Fortin returned to France Friday where he found his family, was learned Saturday from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "Mr. Laurent Fortin returned to France this Friday, November 29," said the Quai d'Orsay. "Mr Fortin's situation has been followed at the highest level and we look forward to his return to his country, to his people, and we thank the Chinese authorities for their cooperation in this matter," it added.
Designated as responsible for production
The 50-year-old father of two, this pastry chef from Normandy left in December 2016 in Shanghai to work in a production center of the small chain Farine Bakery. But his experience had been cut short: he had been arrested in March 2017 with several other French and Chinese employees after a check of the health authorities having discovered stocks of stale flour. First imprisoned for nine months, Laurent Fortin was released on parole in early 2018, just before a visit to China by French President Emmanuel Macron. He could not, however, leave the Chinese territory. Appointed by the Intermediate Court No. 3 of Shanghai as the head of production, he was sentenced in February last two years and five months in prison suspended. He will also have to pay a fine of 60,000 yuan (7,900 euros).
His return to France was greeted in a statement by Hervé Maurey, Senator of Eure, department of origin of Laurent Fortin. "For having questioned and regularly alerted the French authorities for months about the situation of Laurent Fortin, including the President of the Republic to whom I personally and directly spoke, I am particularly happy," he said . Two other French nationals, Marion Cambounet and Damien Ortal, and three Chinese nationals were also sentenced in this case.