Paris (AFP)

Two investigating judges ordered in July the referral to court for "moral harassment" of the Public Assistance-Hospitals of Paris (AP-HP), the former director of the Georges-Pompidou hospital and three teachers after the suicide in 2015 of a cardiologist, we learned on Wednesday from sources familiar with the matter.

This suicide by defenestration had triggered a strong emotion in the hospital community and highlighted the suffering at work of doctors.

The wife of the cardiologist had filed a complaint with the Paris prosecutor's office, which opened a preliminary investigation and then a judicial investigation on February 19, 2016.

On December 17, 2015, Jean-Louis Mégnien, a 54-year-old cardiology professor, threw himself out of the 7th floor window of the Georges Pompidou European Hospital (HEGP).

Father of five children, he had just returned to work after nine months of sick leave.

Several of his colleagues had reported that he was the victim of harassment from his superiors and that a warning about the suffering of this doctor would not have been taken into account.

During the five years of an investigation carried out in the greatest discretion, the AP-HP, the former director of the hospital, Anne Costa, and three professors - then line managers of the cardiologist - were indicted for "moral harassment".

Two investigating judges ordered on July 30 their referral to the criminal court, we learned from sources familiar with the case, confirmed by a judicial source.

"Beyond a human tragedy, this case is a sad illustration of the instrumentalisation of justice and a relentless and unreasonable desire to want to penalize everything", regretted Me Marie Burguburu, lawyer for one of the professors.

"It is incomprehensible, the magistrates likened a head of pole of a hospital establishment to a head of personnel", reacted Me Bernard Vatier, who defends another doctor.

During their investigation, the police of the Brigade for the repression of delinquency against the person (BRDP) brought to light accusations of clan struggles within the prestigious hospital located in the 15th arrondissement of the capital.

An internal investigation carried out by the management of the AP-HP, then a summary of the General Inspectorate of Social Affairs (Igas), seized by the Minister of Health at the time Marisol Touraine, had identified "dysfunctions" and "shortcomings" in the management of the conflict between Professor Mégnien and some of his colleagues.

© 2021 AFP