French publisher arrested under Terrorism Act by British police.

 

French Publisher - Ernest Moret

A French publisher was arrested by police in London on Monday evening, after he refused disclose the passwords to his confiscated iPhone and MacBook.

Ernest Moret, 28, who works for the French Publisher La Fabrique, had travelled to London to attend a book fair but finished up being interrogated by British police under the Terrorism Act. Moret's lawyer, Richard Parry, of Saunders solicitors, who attended one of the police interviews, says that his client was asked about his support for President Emmanuel Macron and whether he'd attended demonstrations against Macron's pension reforms. Moret was also asked to name anti-government authors in the catalogue of La Fabrique, where he works as the foreign rights manager. He refused to answer all these questions.

Moret was later released on bail, but his iPhone and laptop remain seized. He's been ordered to report to the police in four weeks' time. Parry, a human rights lawyer and author, believes that the British and French police may be working in cahoots and he's demanding full disclosure of any involvement of the French authorities in the arrest of his client. Questions have also been raised in the National Assembly in France about the treatment meted out to Monsieur Moret by the British police. Parry told the press:

"He is here to attend a book fair. What legitimate interest is it for the British police to ask about his attendance at demonstrations in France?"

La Fabrique and the British Publisher Verso Books, condemned Moret's treatment as "chilling" and demanded the dropping of all proceedings against Moret, and the return of his iPhone and laptop.