Journalist Aziz Zemouri ordered to pay several thousand euros – Liberation

Four thousand euros fine for writing an article on « A incomplete factual base ». The president of the 17th Chamber of the Paris Criminal Court condemned the journalist Aziz Zemmouri, as well as the director of the publication of the PointEtienne Gernelle, a fine for having said, in an article of 2022that the couple of ex-LFI Raquel Garrido and Alexis Corbière, employed an undocumented maid. The latter will also have to receive the sum of 6,000 euros for damages. The court also denounced the lack of will of Aziz Zemouri to« Side the information collected ».

Journalistic ethics was at the heart of the bidden defamation trial which was held last Friday, March 14. « You have a unique source that is frelated, not verified facts, a contradictory which is a farce : this investigation simply does not stand up ! «  has castigated the lawyer for civil parties in his argument.

« Judging the quality of this investigation is like playing the game of the seven errors »continued Me Xavier Sauvignet, describing as « Organized buzz » the point of the point. The latter had been published online on June 21, 2022 with the mention « exclusive » and was entitled: « The undocumented employee of Raquel Garrido and Alexis Corbière ». Journalist Aziz Zemouri questioned the two members of the couple, both then deputies LFI of Seine-Saint-Denis, accusing them of exploiting an undocumented maid that they would also have « Subject to hellish rates ».

The article also claimed that the deputies, residing in Bagnolet, educated their children in Paris. The next day, the weekly had removed the article from its site and publicly admitted its « false » and « false » character. Aziz Zemouri, who left the weekly after this affair, had also presented his « The most sincere apologies »believing to have been « Victim of manipulation ».

The Public Prosecutor mentioned « A breach of caution » And information that has not been verified as they should have been. « He got caught ! Everything has been made so that it looks like something that is completely true ”supported Me David-Olivier Kaminski in his defense pleading. The reporter’s lawyer defended the professionalism of his client, a journalist « Who is known to everyone for his professional probity ».

The former journalist of Point Always claimed before the investigators that he had been due by one of his sources, a police officer who gave him the hose of the unparalleled housekeeper. THE investigations then made it possible to go back to Rudy Discar, an ex-heater of Jean-Christophe Lagardeoutgoing deputy and UDI candidate defeated by Raquel Garrido in the district of Drancy.

After several interrogations, the ex-heater had admitted having pretended to be the cleaning lady with the journalist on pressing request or even « Obsessive » by Jean-Christophe Lagarde, because he would have wanted to obtain an element compromising against his competitor. The ex-deputy denounced the lies « The most absolute and the most absurd ».

At the hearing last March, Raquel Garrido regretted the absence of the two defendants, the author of the article, but also the director of the publication of the PointEtienne Gernelle, both responsible for her « The worst fake news in modern political history ». Denouncing a sloppy work and a political article, the lawyer and columnist recalled at the helm that other journalists quickly dismantled the investigation of the Point.

« Just ask the question to anyone in Bagnolet, it’s a village, everyone knows where we live and where our children go to school and him the great reporter he was not able to do it ! « quipped the old deputy. « How is it possible that a large weekly publishes this? »questioned Alexis Corbière at the helm. « The difference between a blogger, an influencer and a journalist is the fact that the journalist, normally, checks the information »continued the deputy, who sits today with environmentalists.

In the other part of the case, Jean-Christophe Lagarde, Rudy Discar and Noam Anouar, the police contact of Aziz Zemouri, are indicted in particular for scam in an organized gang. Aziz Zemouri is a civil party alongside the Garrido-Corbière couple.