Genocide in Rwanda: Hubert Védrine sues ex-officer Guillaume Ancel for defamation
Hubert Védrine, December 4, 2013 in Paris during the Bercy Economic Forum.
RFI / Pierre René-Worms
Text by: RFI Follow
1 min
Nine months after the publication of the historians' report on the genocide in Rwanda, which concluded that France was "
overwhelming
", the case is being brought back to justice.
Hubert Védrine, secretary general of the Élysée at the time of the Rwandan tragedy, sues Guillaume Ancel, a former soldier who calls into question the responsibility of the former Minister of Foreign Affairs.
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The complaint dates back to last June, just after
the publication of the Duclert report
on the genocide in Rwanda. Hubert Védrine criticizes Guillaume Ancel for his posts and tweets, in which the former officer of the Turquoise force demands accountability from the former secretary general of the Élysée, in terms that Hubert Védrine's lawyer, Me Alexandre Mennucci, considers defamatory and offensive.
“
The historical controversy, we accept it perfectly.
What we refuse is the attack on the dignity of each other.
Mr. Ancel considers that Mr. Védrine is comparable to Maurice Papon, who participated in the deportation of the Jews from France.
Mr. Védrine absolutely did not collaborate with the genocidaires.
He absolutely does not deny the reality of the genocide.
He simply wants his dignity to be recognized by the court.
And this is the meaning of our action.
"
"What bothers Hubert Védrine is that we ask him what his role is"
The former soldier denies these accusations.
“
I have never compared him with Maurice Papon.
I said that the process was equivalent
: the difficulty we had with Maurice Papon in getting a judgment finally to be made.
For me, what annoys Hubert Védrine is that we ask him what his role is in the overwhelming responsibility of the Élysée, which was determined by the Duclert commission.
"
The plea hearing has just been set for February 18, before a deliberation scheduled for the end of April.
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