King Mohammed VI’s Lawyer Explains the Charges Faced by Eric Laurent

PERSISMA, Rabbat (Thursday 27 August 2015) – On Thursday, French authorities arrested former French journalists, Eric Laurent and Catherine Graciet under charges of attempted blackmail against Moroccan King Mohammed VI.

Laurent and Graciet have reportedly written a book about the King named and were demanding 3 million Euros in exchange for not publishing it.

In an interview with French TV channel LCI, King Mohammed VI’s French lawyer, Eric Dupont-Moretti, explains the charges and what the future could look like for these two journalists who have extorted a King in power. The journalists remain in custody at the BRDP Anti-Crime Unit in Paris (Brigade de Répression de la Délinquance contre la Personne).

Dupont-Moretti talked in detail about the alleged book. “We know there is no sensational fact in it. There’s absolutely nothing to say”.

Laurent had previously written a book praising King Hassan II, now he writes another one supposedly bashing King Mohammed VI. “All this is extremely disturbing. The Kingdom of Morocco has no choice but to react to this type of process. It is the first time in history that a journalist blackmails an executive in office”, declared Dupont-Moretti.

The French lawyer also questioned Laurent and Graciet’s motives. What is their true agenda? Are they being manipulated by a group? But more importantly, Dupont-Moretti brings up “terrorism” as a possible ulterior motive. He claims, “The geopolitical consequences of this type of scam are considerable”.

While pointing out that he does not know if the French Minister of Justice has been fully informed of the case nor what the judges will decide, the King’s lawyer stresses that “there is sufficient evidence in the investigation to confidently have [them] face trial at the earliest; they are filmed, registered and signed”.

These journalists could face France’s penal code, where extortion is penalized with up to 7 years in jail and a 100,000 Euro fine. Charges for blackmailing are also punished with up to 5 years in jail and a 75,000 Euro fine.

Dupont-Moretti said that King Mohammed VI has placed his trust in the French justice to properly handle this incident.