After five days of a sometimes heated river trial, the Versailles prosecutor's office on Tuesday March 30 requested an "exemplary" sentence of 2 million euros in fines against Ikea France.
The firm is accused of having spied on several hundred of its employees.
One year in prison was required against one of his former bosses.
"The stake" of this trial is that "of the protection of our private lives compared to a threat, that of the mass surveillance", declared the prosecutor Paméla Tabardel in front of the criminal court, by asking that the penal answer be a "strong message" sent to "all commercial companies".
Ikea France's lawyer, Emmanuel Daoud, said he would plead Thursday for the release of the French subsidiary of the Swedish furniture brand.
One year firm required against the ex-boss of Ikea France
Revealed by Le Canard Enchaîné and Médiapart, then investigated in 2012, this case brought to light a well-established system of monitoring employees and certain customers, from their background to their way of life or their heritage.
In addition to Ikea France, fifteen defendants are prosecuted in this case, former managers of the company, store managers, police officers or the boss of a private investigative company.
Tuesday, the prosecutor asked for the release of two leaders, including the former director of human resources Claire Héry and Stefan Vanoverbeke, CEO of Ikea France from 2010 to 2015, against whom there was "no material element" .
On the other hand, she required three years' imprisonment, two of which were suspended, for her predecessor, Jean-Louis Baillot (1996-2009).
"I wish a sentence which marks the life of Jean-Louis Baillot", explained the prosecutor, affirming that the "policy initiated" by the former person in charge had affected the life of nearly 400 employees having been the object of "private inquiries".
One year firm required against a former General Intelligence police officer
The former "Mr. Security" of Ikea France, Jean-François Paris, is the only one of the leaders to have recognized at the helm "mass checks" of employees.
He repeated that he had followed an instruction formulated by the former CEO Jean-Louis Baillot, statements formally contested by the person concerned.
The prosecution requested three years in prison against him, two of which were suspended.
Director of Risk Management at Ikea France from 2002 to 2012, Jean-François Paris sent lists of people "to be tested" to Eirpace, headed by Jean-Pierre Fourès.
The boss of this company specializing in "business advice" is notably accused of having, through the police, resorted to the Stic, the system for processing the violations noted, which he defended himself.
This former policeman of the General Intelligence (RG) had provoked the hilarity of the room during his interrogation, when he explained to have simply used "imagination and ingenuity" to inquire.
Against him, the prosecution requested a one-year prison sentence.
With AFP
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