This is one of the flagship measures of the project of "confidence" in justice carried by the Minister of Justice, Eric Dupond-Moretti.
The National Assembly voted on Wednesday in favor of recording and broadcasting the trials.
The deputies voted by 92 votes to 15, and 16 abstentions, in favor of this article 1.
It provides for “sound or audiovisual recording” of hearings with a view to their broadcasting, “for reasons of public interest” once the case has been finally judged.
This device will be included in the 1881 law on freedom of the press.
"I want the French to see how we judge," hammered the minister and former star lawyer, who referred to the past achievements of Raymond Depardon or Daniel Karlin.
The broadcast will be accompanied by educational explanations.
A regular televised meeting
The ban on filming the hearings has prevailed since the sensationalist coverage of the trial at the Assizes of Gaston Dominici in 1954. However, exceptions exist, in particular in the name of the duty of memory, for the constitution of historical archives of justice.
This new “public interest reason” will therefore be added to the exceptions.
The idea of the Ministry of Justice is that of a regular television program, “thematic by topic” with professional decryption.
It will not be "necessarily the big trials" which will be filmed, had insisted Tuesday evening Eric Dupond-Moretti, evoking divorces, civil or commercial affairs "in the territories".
And to specify: "The Chancellery will propose, the heads of jurisdiction will decide", and specifications will have to be respected during the shooting, which "will not cost anything" to the ministry.
He wants the public service to be in charge of broadcasting.
"We are finally going to talk seriously about justice"
Many deputies, from the right as from the left, have said their "greatest reservations" on the measure, fearing a loss of "spontaneity" during the hearings, a race for ratings or a "show justice". "The" trash "is what happens today," retorted Eric Dupond-Moretti, referring to programs watched during "insomnia". "We are finally going to talk seriously about justice," he argued, rejecting the need for experimentation. According to the minister, "we have taken all precautions" on "the right to image, anonymization" and even the "right to be forgotten". The presiding judge may also, at any time, suspend or stop the recording.
Sébastien Chenu (RN), for his part, was concerned about “fair treatment of the parties”.
By amendment, the government extended the recording to hearings and questioning by the examining magistrate.
This "opens" even more "the field of risks of drifts", worried Pascal Brindeau (UDI).
Philippe Gosselin (LR) mocked the minister's “almost blissful optimism”.
And the rebellious Ugo Bernalicis imagined Eric Dupond-Moretti as a "presenter": "it may be a career plan".
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