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La Fabrique's Moret released from police custody
La Fabrique foreign rights manager Ernest Moret has been released from police custody, after being arrested and detained by British anti-terrorist police after he arrived at London St Pancras station, ahead of the London Book Fair.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed to The Bookseller that Ernest was bailed on the evening of 19th April.
His phone and work computer were seized by officers, according to the French publisher and its collaborator Verso Books. Moret’s lawyer, Richard Parry from Saunders Solicitors, said that the rights manager will be required to return to London in May.
Pension reform demonstrations have rocked France over the past three months, with French interior minister Gérald Darmanin attributing any violence on those on the left. Police were allegedly interested in Moret’s writing on recent events, and any participation he may have had in the protests, according to Parry.
The publishers said in a statement: “Ernest was interrogated for several hours and asked some very disturbing questions: his point of view on the pension reform in France, on the French government, on Emmanuel Macron, his opinion on the Covid crisis... Perhaps most seriously, during his interrogation, he was asked to name the ’anti-government’ authors in the catalogue of the publishing house La Fabrique, for which he works.”
The Metropolitan Police declined to provide any comment regarding what was raised during the police interviews.
The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) and PEN were among those condemning the arrest. PEN International posted on Twitter that it was “Deeply concerned by the detention of French publisher La Fabrique’s foreign rights manager”.
Pamela Morton, NUJ senior books and magazines organiser, had commented before the rights manager was bailed: “The arrest of Ernest Moret is extremely concerning. It seems extraordinary that the British police have acted this way in using terrorism legislation to arrest the publisher who was on legitimate business here for the London Book Fair."
Parry said: “It’s important for questions to be asked of ministers as to what involvement the French authorities had in this affair."
The publishers have demanded that no action will be taken against the foreign rights manager. They also requested in their statement that his devices are returned to him.
