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| The rebels of Cayenne. The first colonial proceedings in Nantes |
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| The rebels of Cayenne
The first colonial proceedings in Nantes
On March 9th 1931, during an extraordinary session of the Assize Court, one of the most important proceedings, between the two world wars, started in Nantes. A gang of 12 men and 2 women, all French citizens of French Guyana, were judged for murders and pillages. They had to answer about facts incurred on August 6th and 7th 1928, during which 6 men died. The 14 defendants faced a jury of 12 men, all coming from the Nantes area. What would be the verdict after a 12 day session? The Parisian lawyers, including the famous Henry Torrès and also Gaston Monnerville, who became President of the Senate, pleaded not guilty. They proved that the crimes perpetrated were the consequence of cheating over the elections. The defendants only wanted one thing: not to be considered any more as inferior citizens. On March 21st 1931, they were acquitted. This brotherly act from the Nantes Jury allowed the French Guyana citizens to exercise their rights as the other French people to free themselves from the political slavery as well as that of the lawyers who revealed the colonial cheating.
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Theme:
Duration:
53 minutes
Language:
french
Format:
beta sp
Available versions:
version française
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