Paris Tribune (08.06.2012) - Georges Fenech is the president of an interministerial mission established by the Prime Minister, MIVILUDES, an acronym for Mission interministérielle de vigilance et de lutte contre les dérives sectaires (Interministerial Mission for Monitoring and Combatting Cultic Deviances). He was appointed to this position by François Fillon in 2008. His appointment was renewed in 2011.
A former deputy in the National Assembly, he is also the UMP (Union for a Popular Movement) candidate in the 11th legislative district of the Rhône (Townships Givors Mornant, Saint-Symphorien d'Ozon, Condrieu). He is running against the candidate from the Nouveau Centre (New Center) Party, the incumbent, Raymond Durand.
Fenech, the president of Miviludes, was convicted by the Paris criminal court on June 1, 2012 for public defamation.
The defamation case originated because of a defamatory accusation published in the 2009 annual report of Miviludes, describing activities for the year 2008, implicating an association of lay Catholics-the French Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property (TFP).
Fenech was found guilty. The period of appeal has not expired.
The 17th Chamber of the Criminal Court of Paris, specializing in cases concerning the press, has withheld the defamatory character of the incriminating words in the report. The report was submitted to the Prime Minister. The 17th chamber stressed the lack of accuracy in the report's verifications as well as the lack of restraint in its expressions. The court also emphasized that a state agency such as MIVILUDES should not use vague approximations in its work.
It is fair to say that the credibility of MIVILUDES and of Georges Fenech has been tainted and diminished.
Translation French-English by HRWF Int'l.