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France in shock: attack against free thought

(Interview for Radio Bulgaria with Hugues Huet, a journalist from French national television France 3, taken on January 8)

Photo: linkedin.com

The attack against the office of French satirical weekly magazine "Charlie Hebdo” downtown Paris, in which 12 people were killed, shocked the world. The attack was against a symbol of freedom and tolerance. It happened in a country that opened its doors to all who seek equal rights and a life without violence. A country where everyone has the right to profess and practice their religion; to defend their beliefs without fear of persecution. All this freedom, however, was gained at the cost of many victims and has been jealously guarded for hundreds of years, which makes every Frenchman proud. Therefore, the attack against Charlie Hebdo is perceived by all open-minded people as an attack against the freedom of thought and expression.

French journalist Hugues Huet says France has passed through various periods marked by terrorist attacks. :

"The previous big terrorist attack was in 1995 - 1996, during the civil war in Algeria, he says. Then a bombing at the Saint-Michel metro station killed eight people. This had been the bloodiest terrorist act in France. In the 80s multiple attacks associated with pro-Iranian group Hezbollah took place but there had never been such a brutal attack against a symbol of the republic, of the secular state, of freedom of expression, etc. What has happened is the most disgusting and bloodiest crime after the war in Algeria some 50 years ago."

According to Hugues Huet the murders of journalists were committed in a cold-blooded way with a bullet to the head. The murderers previously gathered information about the victims and knew everything about each of them. The crime itself is much more than an attack against people who think in a different way. This is a warning to journalists who dare to condemn the atrocities of all zealous supporters of jihadism. Therefore journalists from all around the world expressed their support and solidarity with their French colleagues with the words "Je suis Charlie." The Association of Francophone Journalists in Bulgaria organized on January 8 a vigil in front of the French Cultural Institute in Sofia, which was joined by a number of citizens.

"Many thanks for your sympathy. These days I received condolences from various media from across the world. As a French journalist I am deeply touched by the reactions of colleagues who showed empathy to what happened."

English: Alexander Markov


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