Versailles (AFP)

"You are going to pronounce a judgment of general acquittal": the lawyer of Ikea France endeavored to dismantle Thursday in front of the court of Versailles all the charges which weigh on the Swedish giant of the furniture, accused of having spied on several hundred of its employees across France.

The court has reserved its judgment on June 15.

Ikea France is appearing for having set up an illegal system of surveillance of its employees by paying a private investigation company (Eirpace) which, according to the prosecution, drew confidential data such as criminal records or the assets of police officers from police files. interested.

The company and several of its former officials are on trial for acts committed between 2009 and 2012, even though the illegal surveillance practices date back, according to the prosecution, to the early 2000s.

On Tuesday, the prosecution requested a 2 million euro fine against Ikea France and a year in prison against one of its ex-CEO, Jean-Louis Baillot.

A "strong message" sent to "all the commercial companies", in a trial where the stake is that "of the protection of our private lives compared to a threat, that of the mass surveillance", justified the prosecutor, Pamela Tabardel.

During their pleadings Thursday, the defense lawyers all requested the release of their clients, former company executives, store managers, police officers.

Like Me Emmanuel Daoud on behalf of the company, they pointed out the "gaps, redundancies (of criminal qualifications, editor's note), gaps and absence of material evidence" in the file, partly recognized by the prosecutor herself who there noted "imperfections".

At the center of what the prosecution has qualified as an "organized espionage system" is Jean-François Paris, the former "Mr. Security" of Ikea France.

- "Knot of passions"

At the bar, Mr. Paris, against whom the prosecution requested three years in prison, two of which were suspended, admitted to having monitored certain employees and repeated having done so on the instructions of the former CEO Jean-Louis Baillot.

Mr. Baillot's counsel, Me François Saint-Pierre, urged the court to "be interested in material evidence" rather than "testimonies (which are) variable", arguing that the file was empty of any email exchanged between Jean-François Paris and his client concerning the activities entrusted to Eirpace.

Only Jean-François Paris incriminates his client, again supported the lawyer, in a "knot of passions (and) acrimony".

Director of Risk Management of Ikea France from 2002 to 2012, Jean-François Paris admitted that he sent lists of people "to be tested" to Eirpace, a company specializing in "business consulting" headed by Jean-Pierre Foures.

The latter is accused of having, through the police, used the System for the Processing of Observed Offenses (STIC) to obtain confidential information on Ikea employees.

"The returns of the research of Mr. Fourès do not make it possible to establish a link with the police files", estimated the council of Mr. Paris, Etienne Bataille, thus clearing his client of any request for illegal research.

Against Jean-Pierre Fourès, a former policeman of General Intelligence, the prosecution requested a year in prison.

Monday, the lawyers of 120 civil parties in this case asked during their pleadings "an exemplary judgment" and several million euros in damages, including 2 million for the only FO union at the origin of the complaint against Ikea France.

© 2021 AFP