The Paris prosecutor Rémy Heitz announced, Monday, August 31, the opening of a preliminary investigation for "racist insults", after the publication, on August 27, in the weekly current values ​​of a "political fiction" depicting the deputy La France Insoumise (LFI) Danièle Obono as a slave. 

The investigation of this article, which sparked a wave of unanimous condemnations in the political class, including the President of the Republic, was entrusted to the Brigade for the repression of delinquency against the person (BRDP), specifies Rémy Heitz in a press release. 

In this seven-page story, published Thursday by the ultra-conservative magazine, the black-skinned MP for Paris "experiences the responsibility of Africans in the horrors of slavery" in the 18th century, according to the presentation that does the magazine. Drawings by Danièle Obono, iron necklace around the neck, accompany this "summer novel". 

Denouncing "an insult to (his) ancestors, his family" and "to the Republic", Danièle Obono had said Saturday evening "to think" to file a complaint. This publication is according to her "a stain that will not be erased", but above all "the culmination of a media fierce" against her. As of Friday, she had denounced on Twitter a "racist shit in a cloth", accusing "the extreme right, odious, stupid and cruel. In short, equal to itself". 

This image is an insult to my ancestors, my family and my political movement. An indelible stain. I hurt my Republic. And I am more determined than ever to fight against #racism, for freedom, equality and fraternity.✊🏾https: //t.co/hoXzZnGu3j

- MP Obono (@Deputee_Obono) August 29, 2020

The head of state Emmanuel Macron called the deputy on Saturday to inform her of his "clear condemnation of any form of racism", according to the Elysee. Prime Minister Jean Castex deplored on Twitter a "revolting publication (which) calls for an unambiguous condemnation", assuring to share "the indignation of the deputy".  

This shocking publication calls for an unambiguous condemnation.
I share the indignation of the deputy Danièle Obono and assure her of the support of the whole Government.
The fight against racism will always transcend all our divisions. https://t.co/ybRKO4DJP3

- Jean Castex (@JeanCASTEX) August 29, 2020

"We are free to write a nauseating novel, within the limits set by law. We are also free to hate it. I hate him and am (alongside)" the parliamentarian, wrote the Minister of Justice Eric Dupond-Moretti. 

But, replied the opinion magazine on Twitter, "this is a fiction depicting the horrors of slavery organized by Africans in the 18th century," "a terrible truth that indigenous people do not want to see" .  

 On BFMTV, Tugdual Denis, deputy editor of Valeurs Actuelles, made amends. "We understand, with the extremely violent symbolic charge of this image, that Danielle Obono is shocked. We apologize to her in a personal capacity", he said, assuring that his newspaper was "not racist ". 

With AFP 

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