Paris (AFP)

Questioned Saturday in an investigation of the Swiss daily Le Temps for words and actions "moved" when he officiated in Switzerland, the journalist Darius Rochebin withdraws "a few days" from the antenna of the French channel LCI, that he joined in August, and vigorously disputes the charges.

"Darius Rochebin wanted to be released from the air for a few days to join his family and work with his council," said the TF1 group, to which the continuous news channel LCI belongs.

The journalist runs the 8-9 p.m. section from Monday to Thursday, with a major interview.

He "contests the accusations and recalls that he has never been the subject of a complaint. He examines with his lawyer the legal consequences to be given to this article", continues the TF1 group in a press release.

"I have never had an unwanted or illicit relationship. I will therefore fight against the amalgamations, gossip or innuendo of which I am the victim and I examine with my lawyer the legal follow-up that I will give", declared Darius Rochebin , in a statement sent by his lawyer, Vincent Solaris.

He denounces "a malicious story", which he "absolutely denies".

"No incident of this nature has ever been reported to LCI against Darius Rochebin," said the TFI group, which says it is "very attached to the presumption of innocence".

The company "is following this affair very carefully and will take the necessary measures according to its development".

In a long survey, "Le Temps", leading daily newspaper in Switzerland, describes in detail the acts of harassment and "inappropriate behavior" within the RTS (the Swiss public radio and television group) committed by several senior citizens. responsible.

The bulk of the article is devoted to the former star of the audiovisual group, Darius Rochebin, 53, who presented the evening newspaper there for more than 20 years, thus becoming one of the most famous faces of the small screen in Switzerland. .

- "Unexpected mentor" -

Your calm and courteous, distant gaze on the news, the man is renowned for his interviews.

It was to him that the filmmaker Roman Polanski gave his first interview in 2011 after his house arrest in Switzerland.

His interview with François Fillon, in October 2019, attracted the attention of TF1, which offered him to join the group at the start of the following school year.

It is the departure of Darius Rochebin which would have allowed to untie the languages ​​within the RTS, advance Le Temps.

The investigation is based on around thirty testimonies.

Most of the witnesses are mentioned anonymously in this long article, but the newspaper claims to have the identity of each of them.

These people, women and young men, tell inappropriate words and acts: forced kiss, the hand of a journalist that the presenter places on his genitals, conversations initiated on social networks with young people, flattered by the attention given to them by this "unexpected mentor" (in the words of one of them), before the words get out of hand.

Hugo, who worked at RTS between 2011 and 2015 during his studies, said he was flattered when "the editorial star" added him to his Facebook account.

But his private messages "ambiguous then of a sexual nature" provoke his "discomfort", writes Le Temps.

The newspaper also criticizes the lack of reaction from the management of RTS, yet alerted, according to the daily, on several occasions over the years.

RTS says it has "read" the article.

"If the testimonies concerning the behavior of Darius Rochebin are confirmed, the RTS expresses its consternation and strongly condemns any failure or deviation of conduct", affirms the chain.

It ensures that the cases brought to the attention of its management are "treated with diligence".

The public group "will verify all the information in this article" and "review its internal processes" on this type of situation.

© 2020 AFP