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The Paris Court of Appeal on Thursday, October 2, upheld the conviction of French journalists Catherine Graciet and Eric Laurent in the attempted blackmail case against the King of Morocco. They were sentenced to ten and twelve months of suspended prison time, respectively, and fined €5,000 each, according to AFP.
At their initial trial, the criminal court had imposed a one-year suspended prison sentence and a €10,000 fine on both. While the financial penalty has been reduced, the essence of the judgment remains unchanged.
The case dates back to the summer of 2015. Already co-authors of the 2012 book The Predator King, which was critical of Mohammed VI, the journalists were preparing a new work on the monarch. Eric Laurent then contacted the king’s office, leading to a meeting at a Paris hotel with lawyer Hicham Naciri, who represented the kingdom. Shortly afterward, Rabat filed a complaint.
Two further meetings, monitored by police on August 21 and 27, 2015, followed. Catherine Graciet became directly involved during the final meeting, where a financial arrangement worth €2 million was discussed in exchange for dropping the book project. Both journalists were arrested that day, carrying envelopes containing €40,000 each in cash.
Although they have consistently denied making any explicit threats, Graciet and Laurent admitted to an «ethical lapse» in accepting the principle of a financial deal. The French judiciary has nevertheless maintained the charge of attempted blackmail, now confirmed on appeal.
