The mayor of Hyères is suing Le Gabian Déchaîné for "defamation"
The author of the satirical blog Le Gabian Déchaîné appeared again (1) this Friday before the Toulon Criminal Court ruling on press law. Jean-Pierre Giran, mayor of Hyères and president of the Toulon Provence Méditerranée Metropolis (TPM), believes he was the victim of defamation through two publications on September 5 and October 4, 2024.
One of these articles condemns the mayor and his entourage, comparing them to a mafia clan. This text was quickly removed from the proceedings after Thomas Callen, Reynold Ignace's lawyer, raised a procedural error and obtained the dismissal of the prosecution.
There remains a text criticizing the management of the rehabilitation work at the Nautical Shopping Center near the port of Hyères. " You are questioning the integrity [of the complainant], which he may feel is an attack on his honor (...) It is a question of embezzlement, of misappropriation of funds... ", summarizes the president Marie-Laure Arnouil.
"There is no contradiction"" This article follows the publication of a report by the regional audit chamber (CRC). It is a subject I know particularly well (...) I am delivering my analysis based on my three years of work; it is an article whose backbone is the CRC report (...) I believe I have been faithful to it, without distorting it and without any intention of defaming. The only thing I am adding is the satirical tone ," the blogger defends himself.
Jean-Pierre Giran, on the other hand, denounces a web of confusion and lies. " What can we say? (...) If we say nothing, we are condoning... The only thing to do is to appeal to the courts. It's not my habit, but at a given moment, what can we do? The problem is that tens of thousands of readers have an idea of me that is not correct ."
Her lawyer dwelled at length on a dozen allegations. " The report says nothing of what is stated in the article ," insists Sophie Malet-Cassegrain. " They take an affirmative tone and say that it is the CRC who says it (...) All the accusations are crude, false and unfounded and no one ever makes contact with Mr. Giran. This is deliberate, there is no contradiction ."
Freedom of expression" Even if the documentation on which he relies allows him to write what he writes, I am not pleading the truth but the argument of good faith (as provided for and defined by the law on freedom of the press, Editor's note)," says Mr. Thomas Callen in his defense.
" Wouldn't we have the right to say in a citizen blog that we spent public money haphazardly? If we can't, I don't see what freedom of expression is for ." The court will deliver its decision on September 19.
1. Reynold Ignace was acquitted on March 7 following a defamation trial brought by officials of the Metropolis and convicted at first instance on April 30 in a defamation case against the chief of staff of Bormes-les-Mimosas.
Var-Matin
