French Reporter Ariane Lavrilleux Arrested for Leaking Secrets

• French journalist Ariane Lavrilleux was arrested for a 2021 report on Egypt airstrikes.
• Amnesty International France condemns the arrest, calling it a threat to freedom of the press.
• CPJ warns against pressuring journalists and its potential chilling effect on defense reporting.
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A French journalist, Ariane Lavrilleux, has been arrested by French authorities about a 2021 investigative report that claimed French intelligence collaborated with Egypt to track and harm civilians.

On September 19, police searched Lavrilleux’s residence and subsequently placed her under custody. Her legal counsel has stated that she is being interrogated as part of an inquiry into potential breaches of national security.

Amnesty International France has expressed strong condemnation of this arrest.

Reportedly, Ariane Lavrilleux is currently under interrogation by officers from the French intelligence agency, the General Directorate for Internal Security (DGSI).

Her 2021 exposé relied on leaked classified documents to assert that Egyptian authorities had employed French intelligence assistance in conducting airstrikes that resulted in the deaths of smugglers on the Egyptian-Libyan border between 2016 and 2018.

The report implicated French forces in “at least 19 bombings” targeting civilians.

This investigative piece was published by Disclose, a French journalism outlet known for its in-depth reporting.

Disclose claimed that during the presidencies of both President François Hollande and President Emmanuel Macron, French authorities were regularly apprised of these developments by personnel from “multiple military departments.” However, it alleged that their concerns were disregarded.

At the time of its publication, Disclose acknowledged that the report contained sensitive national security information but argued that it was disclosing these details “in defense of a fundamental democratic principle: the right to access information.

Following the publication of the articles, the French Ministry of Armed Forces filed a legal complaint citing a “violation of national defense secrets.”

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has called for the immediate release of Ms. Lavrilleux and urged the abandonment of all criminal investigations against her.

Additionally, CPJ has called on the police to abstain from interrogating her regarding her sources.