France: two former secret agents suspected of treason for the benefit of China tried

The Directorate General for External Security, known by the acronym DGSE, is France's external intelligence service. Two ex-agents are tried for treason for the benefit of China (photo of illustration). AFP / Martin Bureau

Text by: RFI Follow

1 min

Two former French secret agents are facing justice this Monday, July 6. They are suspected of treason in favor of China. It is an extremely rare procedure which is initiated and whose trial is held all week before the special assize court of Paris.

Publicity

Read more

There is a taste for a spy novel in this story. Pierre-Marie H. and Henri M. appear in particular for "  delivery of information to a foreign power  ". They would indeed have spied on France on behalf of the Chinese secret services .

They were arrested and charged in 2017, but the acts of treason would have started in the late 1990s. The first, 74 years old today, was then official representative of the DGSE in Beijing and worked at the embassy of France. He had notably started an affair with the Chinese interpreter of the ambassador.

Many gray areas

The second worked in French counterintelligence. He was arrested at Zurich Airport in Switzerland, holding a large sum of cash when he had just met a Chinese contact on an island in the Indian Ocean. What information did they deliver? How were they turned over by the Chinese services?

The gray areas remain numerous. But the two men, retired from the DGSE for several years, were already closely watched when they were arrested. This ultra-sensitive file will be judged behind closed doors… secret defense requires. They face up to 15 years in prison.

Newsletter Receive all international news directly in your mailbox

I subscribe

Follow all international news by downloading the RFI application

google-play-badge_FR

  • France
  • China
  • Justice
  • Diplomacy

On the same subject

French press review

What's new: State, companies, how China spies on France

China / France / Auto espionage

Beijing denies involvement in Renault spy case