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| France rebuked for conviction of man who held up sign criticising Sarkozy | France rebuked for conviction of man who held up sign criticising Sarkozy |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| France has been rebuked for violating the right to freedom of expression after giving a criminal conviction to a man for holding a cardboard sign telling the then president Nicolas Sarkozy to sod off. | France has been rebuked for violating the right to freedom of expression after giving a criminal conviction to a man for holding a cardboard sign telling the then president Nicolas Sarkozy to sod off. |
| The ruling by the European court of human rights has implications for political protest and satire in France after judges found the sign was of a "satirical" nature and did not warrant a criminal conviction. | The ruling by the European court of human rights has implications for political protest and satire in France after judges found the sign was of a "satirical" nature and did not warrant a criminal conviction. |
| Hervé Eon, a leftwing activist, held up his sign as Sarkozy's motorcade drove past during a presidential visit to Laval, western France, in 2008. The small A4-sized cardboard sign did not feature Sarkozy's name but said simply: "Casse-toi pov'con." | Hervé Eon, a leftwing activist, held up his sign as Sarkozy's motorcade drove past during a presidential visit to Laval, western France, in 2008. The small A4-sized cardboard sign did not feature Sarkozy's name but said simply: "Casse-toi pov'con." |
| The line, which broadly means "Get lost, you prat," had been uttered by Sarkozy himself months earlier when a man refused to shake his hand at an agricultural fair, causing media outrage at his non-presidential language and demeanour. It later became a widely used political slogan against the president used by the left on stickers and posters. | The line, which broadly means "Get lost, you prat," had been uttered by Sarkozy himself months earlier when a man refused to shake his hand at an agricultural fair, causing media outrage at his non-presidential language and demeanour. It later became a widely used political slogan against the president used by the left on stickers and posters. |
| Eon, 61, a former social worker, was arrested as soon as he got out his sign, although it did not feature Sarkozy's name. The state prosecutor brought a case against him for offence against a head of state, and in 2008 he was ordered to pay a symbolic fine of €30 and given a criminal conviction. | Eon, 61, a former social worker, was arrested as soon as he got out his sign, although it did not feature Sarkozy's name. The state prosecutor brought a case against him for offence against a head of state, and in 2008 he was ordered to pay a symbolic fine of €30 and given a criminal conviction. |
| A French court of appeal confirmed the verdict. After exhausting all French courts in a bid to overturn the verdict, Eon went to the European court of human rights, which on Thursday ruled in his favour. | A French court of appeal confirmed the verdict. After exhausting all French courts in a bid to overturn the verdict, Eon went to the European court of human rights, which on Thursday ruled in his favour. |
| The court said the phrase was offensive to Sarkozy, but not a gratuitous personal attack. Instead it was a criticism of a "political nature". | The court said the phrase was offensive to Sarkozy, but not a gratuitous personal attack. Instead it was a criticism of a "political nature". |
| The judges said the use of a phrase that had been uttered by Sarkozy himself meant the sign was in "a satirical register". The court warned that to criminally sanction an action such as Eon's could "have a dissuasive effect on satirical interventions" which have a role to play in the wider debate on issues "of a general interest". It found the French criminal conviction "disproportionate". | The judges said the use of a phrase that had been uttered by Sarkozy himself meant the sign was in "a satirical register". The court warned that to criminally sanction an action such as Eon's could "have a dissuasive effect on satirical interventions" which have a role to play in the wider debate on issues "of a general interest". It found the French criminal conviction "disproportionate". |
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