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Latest update: 15/05/2011
- Dominique Strauss-Kahn - justice - rape - Socialist Party (France) - USA
Strauss-Kahn ‘innocent until proven guilty’, says French government
The French government said Sunday it considers Dominique Strauss-Kahn to be innocent until proven guilty, in light of damning sexual assault allegations made in New York against the IMF chief.
AFP - The French government considers that IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn is innocent until proven guilty following his arrest in New York on sexual assault charges, its spokesman Francois Baroin said Sunday.
"The French government respects two simple principles: that the judicial proceedings are under way under the authority of American justice, according to American law, and the respect for the presumption of innocence," Baroin said on France 2 television.
Strauss-Kahn, managing director of the International Monetary Fund, was the favourite potential candidate in the polls to win the French presidency in next year's election, ahead of President Nicolas Sarkozy.
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Police arrested Strauss-Kahn in New York and charged him with the sexual assault, unlawful emprisonment and attempted rape of a 32-year-old maid in his hotel room.
His Washington lawyer William Taylor told AFP that Strauss-Kahn would deny all the charges and plead not guilty.
The French government "will go no further in commenting on this affair," said Baroin, who was the first member of the government to react publicy to the arrest.
"It is necessary to exercise extreme caution in expressing oneself, analysing and commenting, and in the consequences," Baroin added.
Strauss-Kahn "is going to be heard by a judge and will have the chance to express himself" and "to give his version" of events, Baroin added.
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Comments (3)
Strauss-Kahn ‘innocent until proven guilty’, says French govern.
I cannot express trust in the current US Justice System and their juristic propagators who seem to be educated solely to punish suspected terrorists and the basest-level criminals. What I have seen done in the name of Justice defies the conscience of reason.
DSK
One wonders where DSK will be able to get a jury made up of people who have not heard about his case, including all the details which come out daily in the press. Surely not in NYC. A defense of consent already shows the weakness. What is more, the woman reportedly was a Muslim and wore a head scarf! American justice has to be respectful of the rights of both DSK AND the alleged victim, without showing partiality for either. The case of Roman Polanski makes it impossible for a US judge to permit DSK to leave the country. Americans compare RP with the Lockerby bomber who was released to Libya - perhaps under pressure from BP.
change in the law ?
So does this mean a change in the law here in France ? Past bitter experience of living here in France (for English people)has been Guilty until proven Innocent.
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