France: Blast Journalist Arrested While Reporting on Demonstration at Arms Factory
Journalist’s detention was extended after she refused to give police her phone code to protect her sources
Location: France, Paris
Date: June 18, 2024
Women Press Freedom is deeply alarmed by the detention and treatment of a journalist from Blast by Paris police. Her detention was unjustly extended after she refused to divulge her phone passcode, aiming to protect her sources. The reporter was arrested while covering a demonstration outside the arms company Exxelia and was accused of vandalism. The Blast journalist and six others were eventually released due to insufficient evidence linking them to the intrusion and damage caused at the protest, leading to the dismissal of their case. Women Press Freedom is alarmed by the behavior of French police toward a member of the press. Unfortunately, this is the second instance in the past year where French authorities have arrested a journalist for her reporting. The police's actions, including the demand for phone access and her prolonged detention, reflect a troubling misuse of power. The dismissal of charges does not mitigate the impact of the journalist's detention on her and those investigating powerful entities in France. We commend the Blast journalist for adhering to her principles and upholding her right to report by refusing to divulge her sources but remain alarmed by the police's actions. The harassment of journalists trying to do their jobs must stop. We implore French authorities to uphold the principles of press freedom and cease arresting and detaining journalists for their reporting.
On June 18, 2024, a woman journalist from the independent French news portal Blast was arrested without justification by police while reporting on a protest at the premises of arms company Exxelia in Paris.
The protest centered around allegations that Exxelia supplied military equipment to Israel. The company is currently under investigation by the Paris court for potential complicity in war crimes committed in Gaza in 2014.
The journalist had been investigating French arms sales to Israel for several weeks and was present at the protest as part of her ongoing research. Despite presenting her press credentials to police, she was detained under accusations of "participation in a group with the aim of committing damage" and "voluntary damage during a meeting."
Blast reported that the Exxelia premises had previously been vandalized during another protest, and during the latest demonstration, some protesters entered the premises, causing damage and leaving graffiti in common areas.
The journalist’s detention lasted over 32 hours, beginning on the morning of June 18 and ending with her release at approximately 6:30 p.m. on June 19, 2024, from the 11th arrondissement police station.
While in custody, she faced pressure to divulge the passcode to her phone, which contained confidential sources and journalistic materials. Her refusal led to an extension of her custody.
On June 19, 2024, the Paris public prosecutor's office informed Blast that the journalist and six other detainees were released after it was confirmed by surveillance footage that none of those detained were responsible for the intrusion or damage. Consequently, all charges against them were dropped.
This incident follows a troubling pattern in France of pressure from authorities on investigative journalists. In September 2023, journalist Ariane Lavrilleux was arrested and her home raided by French intelligence officers after reporting on alleged "arbitrary executions" involving the French government in Egypt. Legal proceedings against Lavrilleux were initiated on charges related to breaching national defense secrecy due to her publication of classified documents in outlet Disclose.
Women Press Freedom strongly condemns the arbitrary arrest and detention of the Blast journalist. While the release and dismissal of charges are welcomed, these actions do not alleviate the profound impact of such detentions on journalists and the wider journalistic community. We remain disturbed by the behavior of French police, compelling a journalist to give them access to her phone and risk exposing her confidential sources and punishing her by extending her detention when she refused is unacceptable. The Blast journalist should never have been arrested and detained in the first place. We urge French authorities to do better, to respect the press’ right to report, and to cease harassing journalists for doing their jobs.
Women Press Freedom is an initiative by The Coalition For Women In Journalism
The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.
If you have been harassed or abused in any way, and please report the incident by using the following form.