Paris, April 10, 2014. Gabriel Matzneff is the subject of a preliminary investigation for "rapes committed against minors". - JACQUES DEMARTHON / AFP

  • Author of several books in which he tells of his “loves” with young adolescents, Gabriel Matzneff is today the target of sharp criticism from the literary world.
  • On January 2, Vanessa Springora published a book in which she narrates the "grip" he had on her, when she was 14 and he, 50.
  • According to our information, the writer will be summoned to appear before the Paris court for "apology for crime" and "provocation to commit crimes and crimes".

The summons to appear must still be delivered to him personally. But a hearing date has already been set. According to our information, Gabriel Matzneff is summoned to appear before the 17th Chamber of the Paris Criminal Court for "apology for crime" and "provocation to commit crimes and crimes", in this case rape of minors. The approach comes from L'Ange Bleu, an association which fights against pedophilia. According to his lawyer, the hearing is already scheduled for February 13 at 1:30 p.m.

At the heart of the media storm since the release of Vanessa Springora's book, Consent *, in which she recounts the relationship he had with her when she was 14 and he, 50, Gabriel Matzneff was already targeted by an investigation by the Paris prosecutor's office for "rape of minors".

Transition from Ms. Bombardier to the Apostrophe program:

"[...] we know that the old gentlemen attract small children with candy. Mr. Matzneff, for his part, attracts them with his reputation."

Although I do not always agree with her, here I can only applaud her. pic.twitter.com/zn9UJJ7QEa

- Alexandre Gauthier (@ alexgauthier92) December 25, 2019

"Matzneff's books are a guide for pedophiles"

Without waiting for the result of this investigation, the association L'Ange Bleu has therefore, according to our information, chosen the route of a direct summons to appear so that the writer can explain himself to justice quickly. This association has been working for years to prevent the act of pedophiles and promote the victims' resilience work. To do this, it organizes, in particular, discussion groups between perpetrators and victims.

"Gabriel Matzneff's books, and in particular the one entitled The under 16s, are a guide for pedophiles," explains Latifa Bennari, president of L'Ange Bleu. I have met so many pedophiles who felt legitimized by the works of Matzneff or those of Tony Duvert [another criticized writer, died in 2008] that I wanted to take legal action. "

The issue of prescription at the center of the debate

The way of direct quotation is skillful. It allows the association to summon the writer directly to a hearing before the court without going through an investigation phase which can turn out to be long. Still it is necessary to have concrete elements for that ... "But each of his works promotes his pedophile practices, chokes Latifa Bennari. Each book is a confession! "

Without a doubt. And it is surely for this reason that Gallimard editions announced, Tuesday, the cessation of the marketing of controversial works. But will justice not consider that the facts are prescribed? The direct quote from L'Ange Bleu is based on article 24 of the law of July 29, 1881 which provides for a limitation period of ... three months. In 2014, a similar approach by another association - Innocence in Danger - ended with a classification without result for this reason.

His letter to "L'Express" of January 2 at the heart of the debates

"Mr. Matzneff's books were released more than three months ago," admits Mehana Mouhou, lawyer for L'Ange Bleu. But he published in L'Express an open letter on January 2 in which there is no denial, in which he presents his relationship with Vanessa Springora as a passionate love. This suffices to characterize the facts of apology for pedophile crime. "

In this speech - the only one since the start of the controversy - Gabriel Matzneff, 83, explains that he does not "deserve" the fate reserved for him at the moment. He confirms that he had a romantic relationship with Vanessa Springora. And specifies, as proof, that his book The apple of my eyes , released in 1995, is "the exact story".

Will that be enough to force him to appear? "On February 13, the court could very well decide during the hearing to wait for the end of the investigation opened by the prosecution for" rape of minors "before considering this citation, said a Parisian magistrate. But it could also decide to review the direct quote immediately. This is the wish of Mehana Mouhou. "It would be good for Gabriel Matzneff to answer before the door of time closes on him," concludes the lawyer. For such acts, the writer faces a five-year prison sentence of 45,000 euros fine.

* Vanessa Springora's consent to Grasset Publishing (207 pages, 18 euros)

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