Tuesday 19th September – PARIS – Egyptians Abroad for Democracy (EAD) along with CODE PINK denounce the arrest of French journalist Ariane Lavrilleux this morning by the French Interior Security Service Department (DGSI) for “leaking classified information” after the revelations made thanks to her work on the Operation Sirli. Both organisations are calling for her immediate release.

Deep concern as to arrest of journalist who investigated crimes committed during the French and Egyptian secret operation
Tuesday 19th September – PARIS – NGOs, Egyptians Abroad for Democracy (EAD) along with CODE PINK, are deeply concerned about the arrest of French journalist Ariane Lavrilleux this morning by the French Interior Security Service Department (DGSI) for “leaking classified information” after her work with investigative media outlet, Disclose, revealed a secret military cooperation agreement between France and Egypt, Operation Sirli, which resulted in the extrajudicial killing of civilians in Egypt. Both organisations are calling for her immediate release. 
In November 2021, Disclose revealed the existence of the secret aerial surveillance operation between Egypt and France which was conducted on the Egyptian Libyan border.  The work of Disclose exposed France’s knowledge that Operation Sirli’s counter terrorism mission was being subverted, and France’s assistance and intelligence used, to extrajudicially target and kill several hundreds of civilians with no terrorism link. Disclose’s work indicated that in April 2016 and on several occasions in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019, the French Government was alerted to Egypt’s conduct of targeting civilians outside the counterterrorism mission, and the risks that France’s continued involvement in supporting the mission would contribute to actions amounting to crimes against humanity. Despite these warnings, Operation Sirli was maintained.
Following these revelations, a complaint was filed in September 2022 before France’s National Anti-Terrorist Prosecutor by EAD and CODEPINK asking for an investigation into crimes against humanity and complicity associated with the crimes. The legal step met wide support, including by Egypt’s Hope Party.  EAD and COPEPINK were greatly disappointed when the French Public Prosecutor made a decision not to move forward with investigating the crimes associated with the mission.  EAD and COPEPINK continue to take steps to seek a thorough and genuine investigation which focuses on the crimes and abuses perpetrated against civilians over a span of several years to ensure that civilians around the world are not dispensable collateral damage to secret government operations.
For this reason, EAD and COPEPINK are deeply worried that the focus of the French authorities is not on thoroughly investigating the grave crimes and abuses carried out during Operation Sirli with France’s assistance, but instead focuses on how evidence of these crimes was revealed. 
The work of journalists, like Ariane Lavrilleux, is critical to democracy and protecting human rights, and it is paramount that journalists are able to independently and safety work without fear of reprisal for their work.  It is therefore of great concern that French authorities have arrested Ariane Lavrilleux for her work as a journalist to expose serious international crimes and human rights abuses. 



Comments:
Mohamed Ismail and Ghada Naguib of Egyptians Abroad for Democracy (EAD) stated: “It is often thanks journalists that scandals involving human rights abuses and the assistance of Governments are revealed. We are gravely worried about the impact that the arrest of a journalist working on revealing France’s role in an operation which killed civilians abroad will have on freedom of the press, especially when the authorities are taking no steps to investigate and fully understand what went wrong and ensure justice for the victims.”
Medea Benjamin, CODEPINK Director adds: “Hundreds of innocent civilians have been killed by the Egyptian army, with the help of French intelligence, during Operation Sirli. France must focus on investigating these crimes, and not repressing the work of journalists who are essential to the fight to end human rights violations.”