Revealing the identity of the perpetrator of an accident in a newspaper article does not contribute to public debate and violates the right to privacy. This is what the Court of Cassation has just recalled in its judgment of 20 October 2021.
After a traffic accident, a regional newspaper presents a person who has been injured as the person responsible for a accident and disseminates his or her identity (surname, first name, age and municipality of residence). Convicted of an invasion of privacy, the newspaper challenged the decision on the grounds that it was necessary to inform the public accurately about the various facts of the day, and the Court of Appeal ruled that the identity elements given in the article were an invasion of privacy, even though the event was a matter of general interest to readers.
The Court of Cassation dismisses the appeal brought by the press body, holding that strict information, without identification of persons, is sufficient for itself and guarantees freedom of expression. While a traffic accident is indeed a general subject, it is not useful to know the actors, perpetrators or victims.
