Jacques Vergès
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| Jacques Vergès | |
| Born | Jacques Vergès March 5, 1925 Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand |
|---|---|
| Residence | Paris, France |
| Nationality | French, Algerian |
| Other names | The Luminous Bastard[1] Devil's Advocate[1] |
| Education | University of Paris law degree |
| Occupation | Lawyer |
| Known for | Anti-colonialist lawyer whose tendency is to represent some of the most infamous defendants like Nazi war criminal Butcher of Lyon.[2] |
| Spouse | Djamila Bouhired |
| Parents | Raymond Vergès |
Jacques Vergès (born March 5, 1925 in Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand) is a French lawyer and famous anti-colonialist communist figure. He has been noted for defending infamous clients such as Nazi war criminal Klaus Barbie (the "Butcher of Lyon") in 1987[2].
Throughout his career as an attorney, Vergès has primarily taken political cases, and his clients have included both left and right-wing terrorists, war criminals and militants. In addition to Barbie and Roger Garaudy, he has defended Ilich Ramírez Sánchez (a.k.a. Carlos the Jackal; 1994), the Kelkal faction (1995), and President Slobodan Milošević (2002), although the last declined any legal advice from any party. When asked if he would have defended Hitler, Vergès once replied "I'd even defend Bush, but only if he agrees to plead guilty."[1]
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[edit] Biography
Born in Thailand and brought up on the island of Réunion[3], Jacques Vergès is the son of Raymond Vergès, a French diplomat, and a Vietnamese mother. He joined the Reunionese Communist Party.[citation needed] In 1942, with his father's encouragement, he sailed to Liverpool to become part of the Free French Forces under Charles de Gaulle, and participate in the anti-Nazi resistance.[1] After the war, while his twin brother Paul was imprisoned for murdering a political rival to their father[citation needed], Jacques went to the University of Paris to study law (His brother Paul Vergès went on to become the leader of the Reunionese Communist Party and Member of the European Parliament).[4] In 1949 Jacques became president of the AEC (Association for Colonial Students), where he met and befriended Pol Pot[5]. In 1950 at the request of his Communist mentors he went to Prague to lead a youth organization for four years.[6]
[edit] Algerian independence movement
- Further information: Suitcases carriers
After returning to France, Vergès became an attorney and quickly gained fame for his willingness to take controversial cases. During the struggle in Algiers he defended many accused of terrorism by the French government. He was a supporter of the Algerian armed independence struggle against France, comparing it to French armed resistance to the Nazi German occupation in the 1940s. He also left the French Communist Party following their political move towards the Fourth Republic.[citation needed]
Vergès became a nationally-known figure following his defense of suspected anti-French Algerian guerrilla Djamila Bouhired on terrorism charges (she was accused of blowing up a café, a civilian target).[5] This is where he pioneered the rupture strategy in which he accused the prosecution of the same offenses as the defendants.[5] She was condemned to death but pardoned and freed following public pressure brought on by Vergès' efforts. After many years she married Vergès, who had by this time converted to Islam and changed his name to Mansoor.[7] In an effort to limit Vergès success at defending Algerian clients he was sentenced to sixty days in 1960 and lost his license, for one year, to officially practice law for "anti-state activities".[1]
Just out of prison he used his publicity tactics to defend the Jeanson network.[citation needed] It was during a ferocious cross examination that Paul Teitgen, commander of the Algerian police, publicly admitted to the use of torture.[citation needed]
[edit] Later career
After working in Algeria, Vergès started to focus on Israel. He saw Israel as a base for neo-imperialism in the Middle East and when the wave of PFLP civilian hijackings started in 1968 Vergès often appeared in court to defend them.
[edit] Disappeared years
From 1970-78, Vergès disappeared from public view without explanation. Vergès left his famous wife, Djamila, and cut off all his ties, leaving friends and family to wonder if he had been killed.[1] His whereabouts during these years have remained a mystery. 70% of his close associates of the time assume that he was in Cambodia with the Khmer Rouge, a rumor Pol Pot (Brother #1) and Ieng Sary(Brother #2) both denied.[1] There have also been claims that Vergès was spotted in Paris as well as in various Arab countries in the company of Palestine Liberation groups.[1]
[edit] Defense
Upon his return to normal life he resumed his legal practice, defending Georges Ibrahim Abdallah, convicted of terrorism, and Nazi war criminal Klaus Barbie. The thrust of his defense in the latter case was that Barbie was being singled out for prosecution while the French state conveniently ignored other cases that qualified as crimes against humanity.[2][1]
In 1999 Vergès sued Amnesty International on behalf of the government of Togo.[8] In 2001, on behalf of Idriss Déby, president of Chad, Omar Bongo, president of Gabon, and Denis Sassou-Nguesso, head of the Republic of the Congo, he sued François-Xavier Verschave for his book Noir silence denouncing the crimes of the Françafrique on the charges of "offense toward a foreign state leader".[9] The attorney general observed how this crime recalled the lese majesty crime; the court thus deemed it contrary to the European Convention on Human Rights, thus leading to Verschave's acquittal.[9]
After the US-led occupation forces invaded Iraq in March 2003 and deposed president Saddam Hussein, Vergès was asked to represent Tariq Aziz in court.[citation needed] In late 2003 when the United States arrested Saddam, Jacques Vergès also offered to defend Saddam if he was asked to. "If I have to choose between defending the wolf or the dog, I choose the wolf, especially when he is bleeding".[citation needed] However, Saddam opted not to use Jacques Vergès as part of his defense team.[citation needed]
In April of 2008 former Khmer Rouge head of state Khieu Samphan made his first appearance at Cambodia's genocide tribunal. His lawyer, Jacques Vergès, is using the defense that while he has never denied that many people in Cambodia were killed, but both he and Vergès insist that, as head of state, he was never directly responsible.[10]
[edit] Jacques Vergès in popular media
- Because of his tendency to represent some of the most infamous defendants, Vergès is sometimes referred to as "The Devil's Advocate", which is also how he describes himself. Appropriately, then, Barbet Schroeder's documentary on Vergès, released in October 2007, is called Terror's Advocate (L'Avocat de la terreur).
[edit] See also
- François-Xavier Verschave critics of Françafrique
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Barbet Schroeder (2007), Avocat de la terreur, L(Documentary Film). Centre National de la Cinématographie Retrieved on 2008-03-08
- ^ a b c 1987: Nazi war criminal Klaus Barbie gets life (HTML). BBC News (July 03, 1987). Retrieved on 2008-04-12.
- ^ Jacques Verges: 'The Devil's advocate' (HTML). BBC News (Monday, 29 March, 2004, 11:37 GMT 12:37 UK). Retrieved on 2008-04-12.
- ^ MEP profile (HTML). European Union (2007). Retrieved on 2008-04-13.
- ^ a b c DAPHNE MERKIN (October 21, 2007). Speak No ‘Evil’ (HTML). New York Times. Retrieved on 2008-04-12.
- ^ Boyd van Hoeij (2008). review: L'avocat de la terreur (Terror's Advocate) (Rotterdam 2008) (HTML). european-films.net. Retrieved on 2008-04-13. “Not mentioned either are his controversial defence of Holocaust denier Roger Garaudy and his formative work in Prague in the 1950s – in the middle of the Cold War, though possible connections with secret services and many underground organisations in countries ranging from Germany to Israel and Algeria are hinted at and explored.”
- ^ Ma'n Abul Husn (2007). Women of Distinction: Djamila Bouhired The Symbol of National Liberation (HTML). pub. Retrieved on 2008-04-12.
- ^ Togo to sue Amnesty International (HTML). BBC News (Thursday, May 20, 1999 Published at 11:56 GMT 12:56 UK). Retrieved on 2008-04-12.
- ^ a b French author wins Africa book case (HTML). BBC News (Wednesday, 25 April, 2001, 14:05 GMT 15:05 UK). Retrieved on 2008-04-12.
- ^ Khmer Rouge leader seeks release (HTML). BBC News (07:33 GMT, Wednesday, 23 April 2008 08:33 UK). Retrieved on 2008-04-23.
