The lawyers of 35 French who had embarked on the International Flotilla for Help for Gaza, intercepted by the Israeli forces, announced this Friday, October 3, wanting to file a complaint for “arbitrary detention” and denounce the inaction of the French authorities.
“We are without any news or any link with these 35 French nationals, who had given the lawyers to represent them, he said at a press conference Anouck Michelin, who defends them with me Raphaël Kempf, me Romain Ruiz and Me Chirinne Ardakani.
“A perfectly legal objective”
Quai d’Orsay spokesman said that “consular protection began this morning (Friday), with the first visits made by the general consul and the French ambassador to our nationals.”
“They are in contact with 36 nationals and their families,” added Pascal Confavreux, indicating that those arrested had been transferred to Ktziot prison from the port of Ashdod.
According to Ardakani, the members of the flotilla “had a perfectly legal, legal and peaceful objective to transport food and drugs to the population of Gazán in a genocidal context.”
Lawyers want to file a complaint
His lawyers, who criticize consular authorities for not giving them news, intend to file a complaint about “embezzlement” and “arbitrary detention.” These French “are arrested today in Israel even though Israel (has no) title that allows them to deprive themselves of liberty,” Kempf said.
Quai d’Orsay spokesman justified the absence of contact with lawyers for the fact that the “priority” of the French consular authorities should be “in contact with nationals and their families.”
Lawyers also ask France to join the procedure initiated at the end of December 2023 by South Africa on the situation in Gaza before the International Court of Justice (CIJ). The latter called, in January 2014, Israel to avoid any possible act of “genocide”, warning against a “real and imminent” risk of “irreparable damage” for the Palestinians. Israel rejects the accusation of genocide.
Not helping the French integrated in the flotilla, France “lacks their international obligations” and “is complicit in human rights violations” by Israel, Romain Ruiz said.
All ships now intercepted
On Thursday in Copenhagen, President Emmanuel Macron had asked the Israeli authorities to “respect” international law on the flotilla and make sure that French ships are “protected.”
The 45 ships in General Sumud Flotilla, where they were political and activist figures, were part of Spain in September to break the blockade imposed by Israel in the Palestinian territory in the war, the hungry dam according to the UN.
On Wednesday night, the Israeli Navy began to intercept the ships after warning the crews that entered in waters whose Israel claims control. More than 400 activists aboard 41 flotilla ships were arrested during an operation of approximately twelve hours, said an Israeli official on Thursday night.
On Friday morning, the Flotilla for Gaza announced that its last boat on a route for the Palestinian territory had been “intercepted.”
Source: BFM TV
