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world news Diaranson 8 september 2021

French doctors demand protection from death threats at work

(AP) — French doctors and sci- pandemic to French residents.
entists on Tuesday called on au-
thorities to take action against Verbal threats were played, one from
the insults and threats— includ- an anonymous man in Toulouse who
ing death threats — that they said, “Listen, buddy. The population
have frequently received during is starting to get angry … So shut
the coronavirus pandemic. your big trap. It’s like you’re looking
for it.” Tougher was a threat on so-
The doctors said they fear that some- cial media to one doctor, not present:
one from the world of conspiracy “And the bullet in your head that I’m
theories will take action, not just going to plant, how are you going to
against them but against other medi- stop it?”
cal professionals, and condemned the
silence of authorities. Vulgar insults were scrawled on a
note to Karine Lacombe, head of in-
“It’s months that some of us are re- fectious diseases at a Paris’ Saint An-
ceiving, regularly, death threats. Be it toine Hospital, and once a regular on
via social networks … Twitter, email, news shows. “We’ve been following
by telephone, or by the post. We are you for a while: car, house, route,
targets,” said Jerome Marty, a physi- garbage is destroyed,” it read in part.
cian who heads a union for doctors in come from individuals who are being COVID-19 doubters, of an unsigned
private practice, UFMLS. “What shocks me is the impunity “manipulated.” He said there are per- commentary taking down the medi-
that the people who lit the fuse on haps a dozen to 20 people propelling cal establishment over the issue and
Some doctors like himself receive purpose benefit from, to disturb an the threats, but . “We aren’t detec- naming names of doctors and scien-
threats “several times a day,” he said, established order, to disturb what tives.” tists. The commentary, since revised,
and some now have bodyguards. scientists say, and make the popula- concluded with a cryptic reference
tion waver,” Lacombe said. She also Damien Barraud, an anaesthetist in to “La Veuve” (The Widow), a word
“What we fear is not so much the expressed shock that the messages are Metz, who denounces conspiracy once used to denote the guillotine. It
threats to us personally,” Marty said. relayed on social media and at weekly theories linked to the virus on Twit- was the last straw for the collective of
Their biggest fear is that “an anony- anti-health pass demonstrations. ter, said in a Zoom call at the news doctors and scientists.
mous doctor, an anonymous nurse, conference that he received his first
an anonymous scientist, the people Tens of thousands of people opposed threat in April 2020. Lacombe stressed the need for the
fighting today in the face of the (CO- to health passes needed to access res- political class to “take a stance at some
VID-19) crisis … will be assaulted by taurants, cafes and other gathering But “It’s amplifying now … getting stage and not believe that freedom
someone who takes action.” spots, including some opposed to more serious.” of speech, which of course must be
COVID-19 vaccinations, march in protected in France, means accepting
Those in the group included medi- cities around France each weekend. Concerns about the threats grew with that there may be some verbal and
cal professionals who often appear on the publication last month in France physical violence.”
TV to explain the current state of the Marty and others claimed the threats Soir, a daily that has given voice to

EU to seek daily fines against Poland over justice concerns

Poland’s Disciplinary Cham- legal action against Poland for
ber of the Supreme Court, a not complying with a sepa-
body that the right-wing rul- rate ECJ decision that the
ing party gave the power to country’s rules for disciplin-
discipline judges. Many Pol- ing judges doesn’t conform
ish judges view the chamber with EU law. Brussels said if
as a tool to pressure judges to Warsaw doesn’t respond sat-
rule in favor of the governing isfactorily within two months
authorities. In July, the ECJ that it will take the case back
ordered it to be suspended before the court.
but it is still functioning.
In a tweet, European Com-
To date, while Poland’s rul- mission Vice-President Vera
ing party has filled the ranks Jourova said “the rulings of
of the top courts, there are the European Court of Jus-
many lower court judges tice must be respected across
who act independently and the EU. This is a must to
have issued rulings that go build and nurture the nec-
against the government’s in- essary mutual trust between
terests. Member States and citizens
alike.”
The commission did not
seek an exact fine, but in the In Warsaw, a deputy justice
only other similar case — an minister, Sebastian Kaleta, ac-
(AP) — The European In a rare move, the EU’s ex- EU laws, said it wants the illegal logging dispute also cused the EU of carrying out
Union moved Tuesday to ecutive branch, the European Luxembourg-based court to involving Poland in 2017 — “acts of aggression.” Another
force Poland to comply Commission, said it wants impose “a daily penalty” on the court ordered the Polish deputy justice minister, Mar-
with the rulings of Eu- the European Court of Jus- Poland until it improves the government to pay 100,000 cin Romanowski, tweeted
rope’s top court with plans tice to “impose financial pen- functioning of the Polish Su- euros ($119,000) a day until that “Brussels has launched
to seek daily fines against alties on Poland to ensure preme Court and suspends it complied. It’s unclear how another unlawful attack at a
the nationalist govern- compliance” with one of the new laws that were deemed long the ECJ might take to time when Poland is defend-
ment in Warsaw in a long- tribunal’s orders from July. to undermine judicial inde- rule. ing the EU’s eastern borders”
running dispute over Po- pendence. - a reference to attempts by
land’s judicial system. The commission, which The EU’s executive body also Belarus to send migrants into
supervises the respect of The point of contention is launched the first step in new the 27-nation bloc.