The EPO too has a culture of silencing/intimidating critics



Summary: Mediapart, an investigative site that unearths a lot of incriminating things about Battistelli's former bodyguard Alexandre Benalla, was the target of a raid attempt some weeks ago

THIS is the last part of a series of 5 English translations of French publications regarding the Benalla affair. Benalla had worked clandestinely at the European Patent Office (EPO) before the so-called 'Benallagate' broke out.

The above video accompanies this publication, for which we have the following English translation.

After the attempted search, our live press conference from Mediapart

Find the video of our press conference held live from Mediapart on Monday afternoon, following the attempted search this Monday morning, as part of an investigation opened by the prosecutor's office into, among other things, the invasion of Alexandre Benalla's privacy.

This Monday morning, at 11:10 am, two prosecutors accompanied by three police officers wanted to search Mediapart's premises as part of an investigation opened by the prosecutor's office for (among other things) violating Alexandre Benalla's privacy, following our revelations last Thursday.

This investigation, which concerns the recordings revealed by Mediapart, is likely to compromise the confidentiality of the sources of our newspaper. That is why we refused this search, an unprecedented - and particularly serious - act in Mediapart's history (see our article here).

Watch a video of our press conference with Edwy Plenel, our lawyer Emmanuel Tordjman and our journalists working on the Benalla, Marine Turchi, Antton Rouget and Fabrice Arfi case (as well as Christophe Deloire of Reporters Without Borders -RSF-), which took place at 4pm at our offices.

Previously in the Benalla affair in relation to the EPO:

1. Alexandre Benalla, Macron's Violent Bodyguard, Was Also Battistelli's Bodyguard
2. It Wasn't Judges With Weapons in Their Office, It Was Benoît Battistelli Who Brought Firearms to the European Patent Office (EPO)
3. Benoît Battistelli Refuses to Talk to the Media About Bringing Firearms to the EPO
4. Guest Post on Ronan Le Gleut and Benalla at the French Senate (in Light of Battistelli's Epic Abuses)
5. The Man Whose Actions Could Potentially Land Team Battistelli in Jail
6. French Media Confirms Alexandre Benalla Just One of Six Battistelli Bodyguards, Employed at the Cost of €8,000-€10,000 Per Month (for Benalla Alone!)
7. Corrupt Battistelli Paid a Fortune (EPO Budget) for Outlaw/Rogue 'Bodyguards' From Firm Linked to Russian Oligarch Iskander Makhmudov

Something tells us this isn't the end of it. Will media delve deeper into Benalla's affairs at the EPO? Will somebody be held accountable for it? Will António Campinos ever mention it? Battistelli totally refuses to talk to the media about it. ⬆