France to seek Chad staff return - U.S. Politics Online: A Political Discussion Forum

Steerpike · #1 (**permalink**) 12-27-2007

France to seek Chad staff return

Members of the organization Zoe's Ark have been convicted in Chad.

Quote:

The French government says it will ask the Chadian authorities to return six French aid workers home following a conviction for attempted kidnap.
The six employees of French charity Zoe's Ark were sentenced to eight years hard labour, for trying to take more than 100 children out of the country.

They say they believed they were evacuating orphan refugees from Darfur.

But most of the children were found to be from Chad, which borders Darfur, and with parents who were still alive.

Under a 30-year-old agreement between the two nations, offenders can be returned to their native country to serve their sentences.

Diplomatic sources in Chad say a transfer could happen soon, although the authorities there are not obliged to agree and France has no punishment of hard labour.

The case has sparked outrage in the former French colony.

Instead of spinning this in one direction or another, come to your own conclusions.

Anselme · #2 (**permalink**) 12-27-2007

I think that the trial has been a joke, they were sentenced because Chadian wanted a hard sentenced, and that's what they got. They all got the same punishement without distinction, the trial did not get into details. (I read an article that the same court did not get a trial for very long... they are not even experienced judges...)

Anyway, now, the will be a procedure so that they can return to France, maybe they should have another trial in France, I think they will do a year or two of prisons.

But who lied? The Chadians who worked with them? or the Zoe's Ark?

Steerpike · #3 (**permalink**) 12-28-2007

Update on the story.

French convicts flown out of Chad

Quote:

Six French aid workers who were jailed in Chad on child trafficking charges have flown out of the capital N'Djamena, bound for France.

The six were sentenced to eight years' hard labour in Chad on Wednesday for attempting to kidnap 103 children.

Steerpike · #4 (**permalink**) 01-02-2008

Another update on this story.

French aid workers home from Chad

Quote:

Six French aid workers who were jailed in Chad on child trafficking charges have returned to France.
The six were sentenced to eight years' hard labour in Chad on Wednesday for attempting to kidnap 103 children.

The four men and two women from the French charity Zoe's Ark arrived at Le Bourget airport outside Paris, where they were met by French police.

France struck a deal with Chad, requesting that the six serve their sentences in their home country.

Bookmarks
Digg	del.icio.us	StumbleUpon	Google

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode