France essentials

Justice

Bernard Laporte in police custody for money laundering of aggravated tax fraud

The retired president of the French Rugby Federation was placed in police custody on Tuesday, January 24, as part of an investigation for laundering aggravated tax fraud, said the national financial prosecutor’s office (PNF). The investigations, launched in August 2020, were entrusted to the Financial Judicial Investigation Service (SEJF). In another case, on December 13, Bernard Laporte was given a two-year suspended prison sentence for corruption. He appealed against this judgment.

—-

Paris

Investigation opened after attempts to burn down churches

An investigation for degradation by dangerous means on the grounds of race, ethnicity, nation or religion, was opened on Monday January 23 after arson attempts that targeted two Parisian churches, one of which twice, without causing injury. On January 17 and 22, the Notre-Dame-de-Fatima church, in the 19th arrondissement, was targeted. According to Le Parisien, the door of the church was sprayed with a flammable liquid. On January 18, the Saint-Martin-des-Champs church, in the 10th arrondissement, was hit. The fire was reportedly lit using newspaper. The investigation was entrusted to the 2nd judicial police district.

—-

Dope

The Cese advocates the legalization of cannabis

The Economic and Social Council (Cese) advocates a supervised legalization of recreational cannabis, in a draft opinion submitted to the vote on Tuesday January 24. The advisory body denounces “the bitter failure of the policy followed for fifty years” in France, with “ineffective” prevention and a prohibition which “strongly mobilizes the police and justice services, without any real effect on the extent traffic and the level of consumption which remains the highest in Europe”.

Source