Covid-19: Édouard Philippe summoned before the Court of Justice of the Republic

Europe 1 with AFP 12:00 p.m., October 11, 2022

Former Prime Minister Edouard Philippe is summoned on October 24 before the Court of Justice of the Republic (CJR) for a possible indictment as part of the investigation into the management of the Covid-19 epidemic. , confirmed the general prosecutor's office, after information from

.

Facts disputed by Edouard Philippe

The mayor of Le Havre and president of Horizons, a party close to the presidential majority, will be heard by the three magistrates of the CJR's investigation commission on the offenses of endangering the lives of others and voluntary abstention from fighting a disaster, confirmed the general prosecutor's office at the Court of Cassation. 

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At the end of his hearing, he may be charged or placed under the more favorable status of assisted witness if he manages to convince the judges that there are not enough serious or concordant indications that can be held against him. him.

"I vigorously dispute the charges against me", assured the former Prime Minister (May 2017-July 2020) on Sunday in an interview with

. 

In this judicial investigation opened in July 2020, the former Minister of Health (May 2017-February 2020) Agnès Buzyn was indicted for endangering the lives of others on September 10, 2021. She was placed under the status of assisted witness for voluntary failure to fight a claim.

Olivier Véran not heard by the CJR

In addition to Agnès Buzyn and Edouard Philippe, the former Minister of Health Olivier Véran, now government spokesperson, is targeted by this instruction on the government's management of the Covid-19 epidemic led by the CJR, alone empowered to prosecute and try members of government for crimes or misdemeanors committed in the exercise of their functions.

At this stage, Olivier Véran has not been heard by the CJR. 

The investigations had been launched after several complaints denouncing in particular the lack of protective equipment for caregivers and the population or the errors on the need or not to wear masks.

Since then, other complaints have been added to the ongoing judicial investigation. 

In this case, several searches were carried out in October 2020, in particular at the homes and offices of Olivier Véran and Philippe, Agnès Buzyn and former member of the government Sibeth Ndiaye.

To date, according to figures from Public Health France, the Covid-19 epidemic has caused 155,000 deaths in France.