After sending a press release last week, Tayeb Benabderrahmane’s defense moved up a gear this Wednesday afternoon with the holding of a press conference. Appointment was given, for two days, in a living room of a luxurious hotel in the 1st arrondissement of Paris. His three lawyers – My Luke Vidal, Juan Branco and Nabil Boudi – exchanged for more than an hour with the many journalists present. In the program : “Provide explanations” on the arrest of their client in Qatar in early 2020 and expose “his truth in this case”.
On his profile: “The classic profile of a French investor abroad”
“He is a French businessman, active for fifteen years now in the field of geopolitical and geoeconomic advice, through various networks. And which, as part of its activities, has met a certain number of actors who have enabled it to carry out numerous missions in France and abroad, often linked to crisis situations.
It is in this context that he was approached by the Qatari authorities, in a context of economic and political boycott, to invest his network, his knowledge, his expertise. Thus, he came into contact with prominent personalities in Qatar and he settled there, with his family. He developed his consulting business and continued to provide his services to the country. In short, the classic profile of a French investor abroad. Until January 13, 2020… »
On his arrest and detention: “Acts of pressure and torture”
“That day, he was arrested in the morning by local security forces. His apartment was searched, his material and intellectual assets were seized. He was then placed in secret detention, subjected for several weeks to acts of pressure and torture in order to obtain information and, above all, to compel him, through his wife, to return the all the information available to him. He was then extracted from the center when they were handed over, before being placed under house arrest and leaving the country on November 1, 2020.
On the claims: “No support from the French authorities”
“At no time were his fundamental rights respected. He did not have consular protection, nor the right to a fair and accessible legal process. Nor did any judicial or police authority seek to extricate him from the situation in which he had been placed, or attempt to investigate his arrest. His reaction was gradual, but immediate. The criminal complaint this summer is only the result of a set of steps, amicable then contentious, undertaken by himself, alone and in the face of silence, without any support from the French authorities.
It is under these conditions that, at the end of August-beginning of September (2022), he decided to step up his response and initiate criminal proceedings. These are two complaints. The first, against X, for acts of torture and the second for acts of extortion, also directed against X but targeting all the people who participated in these negotiations until his release against documents. »
On the supposed role of Al-Khelaïfi: “He had something to fear”
“Nasser al-Khelaïfi forced him to renounce any disclosure of potentially compromising documents while he was detained in Qatar and his alleged lawyers (of the time) pressured his family to retrieve the items and sign this protocol* (of confidentiality). Al-Khelaïfi, one of the most powerful people in the world, sought to prevent any information about him from being shared.
For Qatar, the whole issue is to stifle this kind of business because we are touching on major strategic issues. Our client was perceived as an obstacle and football was used as a tool to exploit for directly political ends. If they took all these risks (to stop it), is that the concern is important. And, if Al-Khelaïfi was personally involved, it was because he had something to fear. »
On the ramifications: “This case is quite sprawling”
“What we are witnessing is akin to a state scandal. He (their client) does not resemble the thousand victims that the Qatari regime has made in recent years, among foreign workers and political opponents. He is a miracle, and his life is still in great danger today. Hence the desire to make its voice heard and know its history. This questions the absolute silence that has imposed itself in France. The Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs was first informed, as was the French ambassador to Qatar. The steps were repeated in January, still without response.
Why has France remained silent? We are entitled to expect answers. Did France knowingly remain silent and knowingly cover up a foreign state? The networks of corruption set up by Qatar go far beyond what we think. This case is quite sprawling. There are interests of lawyers, politicians, former ministers and elected officials. It is therefore necessary to investigate to find out if he was the victim of torture in Qatar and, above all, if French actors are accomplices, including those who have remained silent. Some interlocutors in Paris were aware of the abuse he suffered. »
On his recent indictment for suspicion of confidential leaks: “A much too coarse counter-fire”
“The investigation for which he is targeted does not concern him at the start and the invasion of privacy, which was one of the initial charges, also fell during his appearance before the investigating judge. He is indicted but remains free, only placed under judicial control. We are used to these attempts at firefighting, which are far too crude. There will be an extraordinary offensive to destroy our client, after trying to make him disappear. »
On his condition: “A broken man”
“His position was that of a broken man when he returned to France. We have concrete and objective elements, including medical reports, which allow us to say that, during his detention, he was subjected to inhuman and degrading treatment. There have also been direct threats to his family, such as the poisoning of his children, or permanent damage to his integrity.
It was a lasting trauma, which his wife continues to feel. Everyone around him suffered from these facts. Imagine the level of fear that may have inhabited him in recent months. He suffered extraordinary violence, he tries to rebuild himself and hopes that justice will be done. For him and for all the other people who may have known similar facts without being able to be heard. »
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