Ophélie Bretnacher disappearance
The case of Ophélie Bretnacher's disappearance is a complex criminal and diplomatic case between France and Hungary, both members of the European Union.
Disappearance
changeOphélie Bretnacher was a French student, at the Reims Management School. With the European exchange programme, called Erasmus Programme, she spent some time at the Corvinius University of Budapest.[1] Ophélie Bretnacher disappeared in Budapest, Hungary on 4 December 2008. Coming out from a nightclub, the Portside of Cuba, she was tracked by the city video cameras part of her way. Her cellular phone and her bag were later found on the Lanchid bridge.
Diplomatic and political consequences
changeIn the French Government, Catherine Vautrin, the Vice-Président of the National Assembly recalls the disappearance of Ophélie and asks for a French intervention.[2][3][4] and Ophélie appears on Nicolas Sarkozy's blog.[5]
Ophélie Bretnacher disappeared 2 and a half months after Eva Rhodes, the Yoko Ono and John Lennon model, in Hungary.[6][7] Their families are planning to send a claim from the European Union[8] and make known the fact that 4500 foreign people disappear each year in Hungary.[9]
Good police and judicial cooperation between countries, members of the European Union is specified in the Treaty of Lisbon, applicable on 1 December 2009 and in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.
Criminal case
changeHer body was discovered in Csepel, in February 2009, in a backwater of the Danube. Homicide cannot be ruled out[10] because of the finding of an hematoma on Ophelie's body as well as many gray areas during the search.[11]
To date, no findings have been sent by Hungary such as the forensic analysis like Diatoms and the Danube search report, despite the intervention mission twice in 2009 of French investigators in Hungary and the local investigation seems not having progressed for one year.[12]
In February 2010, her family filed a new claim for murder. The Bretnacher family lawyer is William Bourdon, the secretary-general of the International Federation of Human Rights Leagues (1995-2000) and the lawyer of Transparency International.[13][14]
In March 2010, a judicial inquiry is opened in Paris for kidnapping, sequestration, followed by murder.[15]
Mobilization each year
changeOne year later her friends, who were successful in raising 60 000 people on Facebook groups, from many European nations, launched a request for the second consecutive year in order to obtain some answers.
At the end of 2010, two years after her disappearance, more than 45,000 people from different countries took part to another Facebook event for Ophélie and, on December 4th, her friends announced that they will organize a new Internet mobilization:[16]
We will create an event for Ophélie, every year, until full light will be shed on her disappearance and death, until justice is done ![17]
Improbabilities that persist in 2011
changeTwo years after her disappearance, on 4 December 2010, Maitre William Bourdon, said that the investigation continues. The article also notes:
- The complete analysis of diatoms, which would have allowed knowing with certainty the location of drowning, has not been obtained yet.
- All required documents have not been sent.
- The telephone terminals on the path of Ophélie have not been exploited yet.
- Some evidences (such as the walker who heard screams of women at the time of the disappearance was close to where her bag was found) have not been investigated further
- The body of Ophélie was in a place against the current, and it is not possible that came from the Chain Bridge.[18]
References
change- ↑ (in English)"Budapest police investigate the case of a missing French girl". Retrieved December 12, 2009.
- ↑ "Catherine Vautrin Questions au gouvernement 13 janvier 2009". Archived from the original on 2011-07-20. Retrieved 2009-12-30.
- ↑ "Vidéo de l'intervention de Catherine Vautrin à l'Assemblée nationale". Archived from the original on 2010-01-03. Retrieved 2010-01-04.
- ↑ "Disparition d'Ophélie Bretnacher le 13-15 le mag".
- ↑ "Nicolas Sarkozy's blog" (in French). Archived from the original on 2009-06-20. Retrieved 2010-02-03.
- ↑ (in English) "Animal welfare woman murdered". 8 February 2009., The Guardian du 8 février 2009.
- ↑ (in English) "Miliband failed to help hunt for model feared murdered abroad". Archived from the original on 2011-06-06. Retrieved 2010-01-04., The London Evening Standard du 13 mars 2009
- ↑ "Étrangers disparus en Hongrie". JFB le journal francophone de Budapest. January 12, 2009. Archived from the original on January 14, 2010. Retrieved December 28, 2009.
- ↑ Frédérique Lemerre (14 July 2009). "L'AFP à Budapest". www.jfb.hu. JFB le journal francophone de Budapest. Archived from the original on 14 January 2010. Retrieved December 28, 2009.
- ↑ "EXCLUSIF Ophélie Bretnacher l'homicide ne doit pas être écarté". Archived from the original on 2011-05-13. Retrieved 2009-12-11., L’Est Républicain 4 th December 2009
- ↑ "Disparition d'Ophélie Bretnacher — Mort probable d'Ophélie : un hématome qui interpelle"., L’Union February 14 th 2009
- ↑ "Disparition d'Ophélie Bretnacher — le doute n'est plus possible"., L’Union December 7 th 2009, doubt is no more possible
- ↑ [1] Ophélie Bretnacher, plainte pour meurtre, le Figaro, 2 February 2010
- ↑ [2] Elle, La famille relance l'enquête 2 February 2010 ; [3] Archived 2010-02-23 at the Wayback Machine "Justice, ces familles qui s'impliquent", Jean-Pierre Thiollet, France-Soir, 18 th February 2010
- ↑ Mort d'Ophélie Bretnacher en Hongrie, une information judiciaire Archived 2010-03-23 at the Wayback Machine, le Point March 17, 2010
- ↑ [4] Il y a deux ans disparaissait Ophélie Bretnacher, L’Union du 4 décembre 2010
- ↑ [5] Un coeur pour Ophélie, L’Union du 4 décembre 2010.
- ↑ [6] Maitre William Bourdon : l'enquête avance, L’Union du 4 décembre 2010