Judges’ union angered by Justice Minister’s “nonsensical crusade” against furloughs

The organization condemned growing doubts about the court’s decision, while the Home Minister wants to tighten rules for certain detainees.

The judges’ union fumed Wednesday in a press release “unreasonable crusade” from Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin “against permission to leave”after the controversy surrounding the permission to leave prisoners from the Vendin-le-Vieil (Pas-de-Calais) anti-organized crime unit (QLCO) on Monday. This controversy “added to a long list of violent and unlawful attacks on the judiciary”underscores the union.

This permission received a lot of comment, especially raising the ire of the prison officers’ union. Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin on Sunday expressed his intention to change the rules for applying penalties in organized crime cases, by creating, as in terrorism cases, “special laws and special implementing judges who know perfectly the dangerous profile”. “It is as if the judges are incapable of evaluating the situation presented to them”judges’ union reaction.

“Exit permits are not nonsense at all, contrary to the populist exploitation carried out by the Minister of Justice”said the press release. “Far from being just a reward, leave has the specific aim of preventing recidivism by encouraging integration. Proper implementation is an additional element in assessing a person’s ability to respect the established framework. All the figures show this: ‘dry’ release from prison, without a reintegration plan prepared before release and in the long term, results in recidivism”stressed the union.

“Every opportunity is good to present the judge as an irresponsible right and as a fundamental danger that must be neutralized”regrets the press release. “In a healthy democracy, judges must be able to carry out their profession without risking being subjected to retribution from trade unions, news outlets, the political class or worse, the Minister of Justice himself”he demanded.

The press release points to a “evil goes much deeper”. “The judiciary union has for several months witnessed severe, serious, and direct attacks on the judge’s decision to grant the temporary absence”he continued, referring to the request, “November 3”from the Minister of Justice to the prosecutor’s office “issue an opinion that does not support temporary absence by adding criteria that are not specified by law”.

“At the same time, the prison administration is increasingly questioning the obligation for which it is responsible: the implementation of court decisions, to the detriment of the work carried out by SPIP (Penitentiary Integration and Probation Service)”denounced the press release. “There are more and more obstacles in correctional institutions”he pointed out.

The union also condemned the dismissal decided by Gérald Darmanin, “military man” from the director of the Rennes Prison Center “under the pretext of ‘making an example’ regarding the implementation of temporary absence decisions – a process that is unreasonable, humiliating, archaic, authoritarian and unacceptable”. “Lastly, his colleagues and the entire SPIP 35 have our full support”added a press release.