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Latest update: 15/02/2011
- Florence Cassez - justice - Mexico - Nicolas Sarkozy
Sarkozy to press Mexico for return of convicted abductor
French President Nicolas Sarkozy says he will press Mexico again to repatriate a French woman who began a 60-year jail sentence for kidnapping in 2006 after her boyfriend was found to be holding three people hostage at their home.
By News Wires (text)
REUTERS - President Nicolas Sarkozy said on Monday he would ask Mexico again to repatriate Florence Cassez, a Frenchwoman serving a jail term there for kidnapping, after her court appeal was rejected last week.
Sarkozy emerged from the latest of a series of meetings with Cassez's parents since she was jailed five years ago saying France respected Mexico's legal system but wants Cassez to serve the rest of her 60-year term in France.
"I am ready to talk to the Mexican authorities about the conditions for a transfer," said Sarkozy, whose past requests to have Cassez returned to France have been refused.
"We will not leave this young woman in prison for another 60 years," he told reporters at the Elysee presidential palace.
Sarkozy said France would go ahead with a "Year of Mexico" planned for 2011, after calls from some that the cultural event be axed in protest, and said he would dedicate it to Cassez.
Cassez, 36 and facing 55 more years in a Mexican jail, was arrested in 2005 with her Mexican boyfriend in a dramatic police swoop at a ranch near Mexico City where three people, including a young girl, were being held hostage. Cassez, who says she is innocent, has widespread support in France where many see her as a victim of a murky justice system. A Mexican court's rejection of her appeal fanned tension after French Foreign Minister Michele Alliot-Marie said it constituted "a denial of justice" and would hurt relations.
Cassez, whose case was taken up by Sarkozy on a 2009 trip to Mexico, says she was unaware her boyfriend, Israel Vallarta, was holding hostages at the house they were staying in.
Mexico, which is ravaged by drug trafficking and organised crime, imposes heavy penalties on kidnappers. The government has said from the start it cannot interfere with judicial decisions.
Mexico and France will work together on global financial issues this year before France passes the G20 presidency baton to Mexico in November.
A lawyer for Cassez, Franck Berton, said he plans to file a legal complaint against Mexican Public Security Minister Genaro Garcia Luna over the case.
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Comments (3)
It is widely recognized that
It is widely recognized that the Mexican Judicial System needs to be fixed. We are working on it.
But Cassez had four chances to prove her innocence. She was found guilty by different judges of different levels and in different places.
The Judges are independent from the president. He cannot order the liberation of Cassez. Furthermore, public opinion is such that it would be political suicide if anybody attempts it. It wasn't such a big deal until last year when Sarkozy attempted to force the issue. He manage to piss off all the people.
Two of the victims confirmed
Two of the victims confirmed in court that she took care of them while in captivity and recognized her voice. She was part of the gang no doubt.
to the author of this paper
Could you PLEASE tell the story according to the real facts ???
Cassez was arrested one day before a fake police operation at the Ranch on dec 9. 2005.
She was forced to participate in a shamefull recreation of her detention. The real arrest took place on a road between Mexico and Cuernavaca, while she was moving her belongings. She never was arrested in a ranch.
Furthermore, the young girl you are talking about is actually a young BOY, named Christian.
In the name of the Canadian Support committee, I firmly disapprove the way this paper has been written. True journalists have a duty to inform correctly and not change the facts because of their lack of investigation.
In Cassez' case, knowing that her real detention occured on dec 8th and not on dec 9th, and that the mother and the child who, too, were forced to participate in a fake detention, did not recognize her, is the very basis.
David Bertet
Canadian Support Committee for Florence Cassez
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