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Swiss Couple Files Criminal Complaint Against Charlie Hebdo Over Crans-Montana Fire Cartoon

The filing invokes Article 135 on violent imagery, asserting the drawing violates victims’ dignity.

Overview

  • The complaint was lodged with the Valais public prosecutor and, in addition to the publication, names the cartoon’s author as a target.
  • The plaintiffs argue the image falls under Swiss Penal Code Article 135, which restricts distributing depictions of cruelty lacking protected cultural or scientific value.
  • The cartoon was published on January 9, the national day of mourning, and portrays burned skiers with references to Crans-Montana and the caption “Les brûlés font du ski.”
  • The couple requests a criminal investigation and proposes that any court-ordered compensation be directed by the state to all victims of the fire, which left about 40 dead.
  • Public criticism intensified on social media as a victim’s mother and a burn survivor condemned the drawing, while former Charlie Hebdo executive Marika Bret defended the satirical intent.