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{{short description|French-Spanish lawyer, writer and political activist}} |
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{{Infobox person |
{{Infobox person |
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| name = Juan Branco |
| name = Juan Branco |
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| birth_place = [[ |
| birth_place = [[Málaga]], [[Spain]] |
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| residence = [[Paris]], [[France]] |
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| nationality = French, Spanish |
| nationality = French, Spanish |
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| education = [[École normale supérieure (Paris) |
| education = [[École normale supérieure (Paris)]] |
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| occupation = Lawyer |
| occupation = Lawyer |
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| father = [[Paulo Branco]] |
| father = [[Paulo Branco]] |
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| mother = Dolores López |
| mother = Dolores López |
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| employer = [[WikiLeaks]] |
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}} |
}} |
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'''Juan Branco''' is a French lawyer, writer and political activist. |
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'''Juan Branco''' (born 26 August 1989) is a Spanish and French lawyer, academic, [[Investigative journalism|investigative journalist]] and an extreme-left political activist. After working for the [[International Criminal Court]] and the [[French minister of foreign affairs]], he became one of the lawyers and close advisers of [[Julian Assange]] and [[WikiLeaks]]. <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x40adfd|title=Juan Branco, l'homme dans l'ombre de Julien Assange – Le Supplément du 27/03 – CANAL+ - Vidéo dailymotion|date=2016-03-27|website=Dailymotion|language=en|access-date=2018-09-19}}</ref> |
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He was identified as a [[Yellow vests movement|Yellow Vest]] defender and one of the French [[Julian Assange|Assange]] lawyers. He defends some of the Yellow Vests in court and the movement in the media. His 2019 book, criticizing the links between President [[Emmanuel Macron]], the media and wealthy businessmen, was a success on the internet and sold 130,000 copies. He gained supplementary notoriety in France in early 2020 for his involvement in the [[#Griveaux affair|Griveaux affair]]. |
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He is the author of the French bestseller ''[[:fr:Crépuscule_(livre)|Crépuscule]]'' and became one of the figures of the [[Yellow vests movement]].<ref>{{Cite journal|last=|first=|date=|title=CILRAP biographical note, Juan Branco|url=|journal=CILRAP|volume=|pages=|via=}}</ref> |
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== Early life and education == |
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== Biography == |
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Branco was born in [[Estepona]], near Málaga. He is the son of film producer [[Paulo Branco]] and became a French citizen in 2010.{{Citation needed|date=April 2020}} |
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Born in [[Estepona]], near Malaga, Branco was admitted to the [[École normale supérieure (Paris)|École normale supérieure]] in 2009, where he studied philosophy and law. As a student, he became one of the leaders of the struggle against the French copyright law [[HADOPI law|HADOPI]] along with [[La Quadrature du Net]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crunchbase.com/person/juan-branco|title=Juan Branco {{!}} Crunchbase|website=Crunchbase|language=en|access-date=2018-06-18}}</ref> and published an essay on the subject with [[Jean-Luc Godard]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lemonde.fr/livres/article/2011/06/06/reponses-a-hadopi-de-juan-branco_1532488_3260.html|title="Réponses à Hadopi", de Juan Branco|website=Le Monde|language=fr|access-date=2018-06-18}}</ref> |
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He studied philosophy and law at the [[École normale supérieure (Paris)|École normale supérieure]]. He became politically active as a student, when he protested French copyright law [[HADOPI law|HADOPI]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crunchbase.com/person/juan-branco|title=Juan Branco {{!}} Crunchbase|website=Crunchbase|language=en|access-date=2018-06-18}}</ref> |
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After working for the Prosecutor of the [[International Criminal Court]], he entered the [[Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs|French Ministry for Foreign Affairs]] in 2012 as an advisor to the Minister [[Laurent Fabius]], before becoming a lector at the French department of [[Yale University]], where he pursued his doctoral studies. |
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In 2016, he concluded his postgraduate studies, during which he focused on the [[Germain Katanga]] ICC's case,<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=http://success-stories.fr/juan-branco-lobbyiste-militant-liberte-expression/|title=Juan Branco, portrait d'un lobbyiste militant de la liberté d'expression|date=2016-06-28|work=Success Stories|access-date=2018-09-19|language=fr-FR}}</ref> and was awarded a [[Doctor of Law]]. He continued his academic work as a visiting researcher at [[Yale Law School]] and [[Sapienza University of Rome|Sapienza's University of Rome]].{{Citation needed|date=April 2020}} He worked as a senior research fellow at the [[Max Planck Institute for International Law]] from 2015 to 2016.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.mpi.lu/the-institute/senior-research-fellows/juan-branco/ |title=Archived copy |access-date=2016-05-16 |archive-date=2016-05-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160516184101/http://www.mpi.lu/the-institute/senior-research-fellows/juan-branco/ |url-status=live }}</ref> |
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== Political activism == |
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He received his doctorate in 2014.<ref name=":1" /> He was invited as a visiting researcher to [[Yale Law School]] and [[Sapienza University of Rome|Sapienza's University of Rome]]. He was recruited in 2015 as a senior research fellow at the [[Max Planck Society|Max Planck Institute for International Law]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=http://success-stories.fr/juan-branco-lobbyiste-militant-liberte-expression/|title=Juan Branco, portrait d’un lobbyiste militant de la liberté d’expression|date=2016-06-28|work=Success Stories|access-date=2018-09-19|language=fr-FR}}</ref> His thesis, focused on [[Germain Katanga]] ICC's case, and was the first to be awarded by l’Ecole normale supérieure in legal studies and was published in 2015. Albeit very critical of the institution, his work was co-awarded by the International Criminal Court and the [[Constitutional Council (France)|French Constitutional council]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.myscience.fr/fr/wire/prix_de_these_de_l_institut_varenne-2016-ens|title=Prix de Thèse de l’Institut Varenne|last=2018|first=Scimetrica, www.scimetrica.com - ©|website=www.myscience.fr|language=fr|access-date=2018-09-24}}</ref> |
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As a student, Branco actively supported centre-right former prime-minister [[Dominique de Villepin]], a friend of his mother's.<ref name="Tabet 20–23">{{cite journal |date=March 2020 |title=Dans les réseaux de Juan Branco |last=Tabet |language=fr |journal=Le Parisien |issue=23487 |pages=20–23}}</ref> |
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Afterwards he supported [[The Greens (France)]] and then went on to participate in the campaign of future President [[François Hollande]]. He worked several months for future French Minister of Culture and Communications [[Aurélie Filippetti]]. Filippetti later stated that he "demanded to be hired as her chief of staff at age 22", that he "completely lost it when he was refused the position" and told her that he recorded their conversations. She describes him as "dangerous, intelligent and skillful", as "megalomaniacal, a compulsive liar and very, very manipulative".<ref name="francetvinfo.fr">{{Cite web|url=https://www.francetvinfo.fr/economie/transports/gilets-jaunes/des-grandes-ecoles-aux-gilets-jaunes-en-passant-par-wikileaks-qui-est-juan-branco-l-auteur-de-crepuscule-en-guerre-contre-macron_3421861.html|language=fr|access-date=2020-03-08}}</ref> |
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Relying on his academic research and field work, he authored two essays on mass violence, published in 2016 and 2017 by [[Alain Badiou]]<ref name="Les Inrocks">{{Cite news|url=https://mobile.lesinrocks.com/2016/03/15/actualite/ledito-de-pierre-siankowski-pour-en-finir-avec-un-certain-etat-du-monde-11812595/|title=L’édito de Pierre Siankowski : pour en finir avec un certain état du monde|work=Les Inrocks|access-date=2018-09-24|language=fr-FR}}</ref> and [[Michel Surya]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://mobile.lemonde.fr/livres/article/2017/02/23/livres-en-bref_5084160_3260.html?xtref=https://www.google.fr/|title=Livres en bref|website=Le Monde.fr|language=fr-FR|access-date=2018-09-24}}</ref> |
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Branco went on to join the left-wing populist party [[La France Insoumise]]. He stood in the [[2017 French legislative election]] for [[Seine-Saint-Denis's 12th constituency]] where he placed fourth. His former running-mate stated that Branco "wanted to win a parliamentary seat and abandoned the party after the loss".<ref name="Tabet 20–23"/> After he was refused a sufficiently high spot on the electoral list of [[La France Insoumise]] in the [[2019 European Parliament election in France]] his support for the party ended and he called for an abstention in the election.<ref name="francetvinfo.fr"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.parismatch.com/Actu/Politique/Juan-Branco-l-avocat-qui-intrigue-1677637|language=fr|access-date=2020-03-08}}</ref> |
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He became a vocal supporter and lawyer of the [[Yellow vests movement]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lefigaro.fr/politique/juan-branco-itineraire-d-un-enfant-gate-devenu-activiste-sans-scrupule-20200218|language=fr|access-date=2020-03-08}}</ref> and a critic of [[President of France]] [[Emmanuel Macron]] thereafter.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=2019-05-07|title=Des grandes écoles aux "gilets jaunes" en passant par WikiLeaks : qui est Juan Branco, l'avocat proche de Piotr Pavlenski ?|url=https://www.francetvinfo.fr/economie/transports/gilets-jaunes/des-grandes-ecoles-aux-gilets-jaunes-en-passant-par-wikileaks-qui-est-juan-branco-l-auteur-de-crepuscule-en-guerre-contre-macron_3421861.html|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-06-30|website=Franceinfo|language=french}}</ref> |
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In 2018 he [[Outing|outed]] the homosexuality of his former class-mate [[Gabriel Attal]] on Twitter.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://lincorrect.org/nous-serons-probablement-demain-lun-et-lautre-des-ennemis-principiels-juan-branco/|language=fr|access-date=2020-03-08}}</ref> |
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== Lawyer == |
== Lawyer == |
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He worked as a legal adviser to [[WikiLeaks]] and [[Julian Assange]], trying to help obtain asylum for Assange in France.<ref>[https://wikileaks.org/nsa-france/ 2015 NSA Espionnage revelations]</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm8149780/bio|title=Juan Branco|publisher=IMDb|access-date=2018-06-18}}</ref> |
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As one of [[WikiLeaks]]' and [[Julian Assange]]'s main legal advisers, he represented the organization during the 2015 NSA Espionnage revelations<ref>[https://wikileaks.org/nsa-france/ 2015 NSA Espionnage revelations]</ref> and interfaced with French authorities in Assange's attempt to obtain asylum in France.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm8149780/bio|title=Juan Branco|publisher=IMDb|access-date=2018-06-18}}</ref> He distanced himself from the timing of publication of the [[2017 Macron e-mail leaks|Macron e-mail leaks]] in 2017,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/may/06/macronleaks-french-election-campaign-hackers|title=MacronLeaks is final twist in surreal French election campaign|first=Sonia |last=Delesalle-Stolper|date=6 May 2017|work=The Guardian}}</ref> but defends WikiLeaks' publication of the [[2016 Democratic National Committee email leak]],<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/business/technology/wikileaks-lawyer-defends-releasing-democrat-emails-1.2861926|title=WikiLeaks lawyer defends releasing Democrat emails|work=Irish Times}}</ref> and called on [[Emmanuel Macron]] to protect [[Julian Assange]]<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/julian-assange-rape-victim-elisabeth-fritz-sweden-drop-investigation-wikileaks-stockholm-british-a7744741.html|title=Julian Assange's rape accuser reacts to investigation being dropped|work=The Independent|access-date=2018-09-19|language=en-GB}}</ref> shortly after his election. In charge of UN proceedings and of the coordination of the legal team headed by [[Baltasar Garzon]], he frequently appeared publicly in defense of the organization and of its founder. |
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In 2016, before he was admitted to the bar and legally permitted to practice law, he solicited [[Salah Abdeslam]], the only surviving member of the group directly involved in [[November 2015 Paris attacks|the attacks in Paris on 13 November 2015]] (in which 130 people were killed and 683 others were injured), proposing in a letter to help in his legal defense and claiming to be representing [[Julian Assange]].<ref name="Abdeslam">{{cite web|title=Quand Juan Branco écrivait à Salah Abdeslam|url=https://www.valeursactuelles.com/societe/exclusif-quand-juan-branco-ecrivait-salah-abdeslam-116341|website=valeursactuelles.com|date=22 February 2020|access-date=22 February 2020|publication-date=}}.</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Juan Branco a écrit une lettre à Salah Abdeslam en 2016 pour le conseiller|url=https://www.rtl.fr/actu/justice-faits-divers/juan-branco-l-avocat-a-ecrit-une-lettre-a-salah-abdeslam-pour-le-conseiller-7800142425|website=rtl.fr|date=22 February 2020|access-date=23 February 2020|publication-date=}}.</ref> One of the French lawyers representing Abdeslam characterized Brancos actions as attempted fraud.<ref>{{cite web|title="C'est un exercice illégal" : quand il sollicite le terroriste Abdeslam, Juan Branco... n'est pas encore avocat|url=https://www.marianne.net/societe/c-est-un-exercice-illegal-quand-il-sollicite-le-terroriste-abdeslam-juan-branco-n-est-pas?utm_term=Autofeed&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1582648688|website=marianne.net|date=25 February 2020|publication-date=}}.</ref> |
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⚫ | After his admission to the Bar of Paris, he represented [[Jean-Luc Mélenchon]] beginning in 2017. His work with Mélenchon ended in 2018 for unknown reasons. He has also represented his father [[Paulo Branco]] against [[Terry Gilliam]] in ''[[The Man Who Killed Don Quixote]]'' case.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.screendaily.com/paris-appeals-court-rules-in-favour-of-paulo-branco-on-the-man-who-killed-don-quixote/5130200.article|title=Paris appeals court rules in favour of Paulo Branco on 'The Man Who Killed Don Quixote'|work=Screen|access-date=2018-06-18|language=en}}</ref> |
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Considered to be one of the « shadow men » of Julian Assange,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x40adfd|title=Juan Branco, l'homme dans l'ombre de Julien Assange - Le Supplément du 27/03 - CANAL+ - Vidéo dailymotion|date=2016-03-27|website=Dailymotion|language=en|access-date=2018-09-24}}</ref> he has often described the difficulties of working with [[WikiLeaks]] and has defined the main role of the organization as being an enduring "library of powers".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://medium.com/@minnaliik/wikileaks-is-a-sieve-3beda99e557d|title=WikiLeaks is a Sieve|last=Kilpeläinen|first=Minna|date=2017-02-26|website=Minna Kilpeläinen|access-date=2018-09-19}}</ref> |
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He briefly worked as an independent expert for the [[United Nations]] in 2018, where he has tasked with developing a strategy for investigations conducted by the Special Criminal Court in the Central African Republic.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://fr.africanews.com/2018/05/31/centrafrique-la-minusca-expulse-un-expert-francais-qui-l-accuse-de-crimes}}</ref> After he accused peacekeeping forces of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic ([[MINUSCA]]) of having been involved in a massacre in the city of [[Bangui]] - an accusation denied by MINUSCA - he was expelled from the country and fired by the UN less than a week after his mission started.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-centralafrica-un/un-fires-central-africa-legal-adviser-who-accused-peacekeepers-of-massacre-idUSKCN1IW265}}</ref> |
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⚫ | After his admission to the Bar of Paris, he |
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== Griveaux affair == |
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In February 2020 it was reported that he was representing the Russian activist [[Petr Pavlensky]] both before and after the latter leaked sexually explicit videos depicting [[Benjamin Griveaux]], then candidate in the mayoral elections for Paris. Multiple sources claim that Juan Branco was himself involved in the leak,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lepoint.fr/politique/videos-intimes-de-griveaux-le-role-trouble-de-juan-branco-14-02-2020-2362721_20.php|title=Vidéos intimes de Griveaux : le rôle trouble de Juan Branco|website=lepoint.fr|language=fr|access-date=2020-02-29}}</ref> a criminal offense under French law.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/france-shrugs-at-sex-scandals-but-after-a-leaked-video-this-politician-bowed-out/2020/02/14/263256c0-4f0f-11ea-967b-e074d302c7d4_story.html|title=France shrugs at sex scandals. But after a leaked video, this politician bowed out. |website=washingtonpost.com|language=en|access-date=2020-02-29}}</ref> This was denied by Branco. |
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In May 2018, whilst operating as an independent expert for the Prosecutor of the Criminal Special Court of Central Africa, Juan Branco vehemently denounced the interferences of the [[MINUSCA|United Nations military forces]] in its mandate and the recent commission of a massacre in [[Bangui]] by its Rwandese contingent. In the immediate aftermath of his declarations, the UN required his resignation and expelled him from the country over "security issues".<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiQl3wDymxI></ref> Linking the failure of the [[Sukula Operation]], which triggered the death of 34 civilians, to the concomitant visit of [[UN Undersecretary-General|UN Under secretary-General]] [[Jean-Pierre Lacroix (French diplomat)|Jean-Pierre Lacroix]] in Bangui<ref name="jeuneafrique.com">[http://www.jeuneafrique.com/565694/politique/jean-pierre-lacroix-une-mission-de-maintien-de-la-paix-ne-peut-durer-eternellement/]</ref><ref name="Ross">{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-centralafrica-un/un-fires-central-africa-legal-adviser-who-accused-peacekeepers-of-massacre-idUSKCN1IW265|title=U.N. fires Central Africa legal adviser who accused peacekeepers of...|last=Ross|first=Aaron|agency=Reuters}}</ref> and presenting it as a failed propaganda operation, Branco renewed his accusations by publishing a detailed investigation on the matter in [[Le Monde Diplomatique]] in September 2018. |
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Pavlensky was arrested on 14 February 2020 for stabbing two people during a New Year's Eve party organized by Branco and his girlfriend in a Paris flat owned by the latters' parents.<ref>http://www.leparisien.fr/faits-divers/piotr-pavlenski-dans-les-coulisses-de-sa-soiree-du-31-decembre-2019-29-02-2020-8269833.php</ref> |
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The events triggered UN Under secretary-General Jean-Pierre Lacroix reaction, whom admitted his presence in Bangui during the incidents, recognized there had been "very tough confrontations" between the UN forces and the population of PK5 that had caused "regrettable" civilian casualties, but refused to take a public stand on the conflict between Branco and the MINUSCA and stated that the "youth of PK5 was often manipulated and armed" by rebel groups.<ref name="jeuneafrique.com"/><ref name="Ross"/> |
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After Branco was hired by Pavlensky as his defense attorney, the chairman of the French bar association opened an inquiry into the appropriateness of the defense in light of Branco's involvement in the affair. No conflict of interest was found but Branco was advised to step down as Pavlensky's defense attorney nonetheless due to a "lack of distance".<ref>{{cite web|title=Le bâtonnier de Paris a demandé à Branco de ne pas défendre Pavlenski|url=https://www.lepoint.fr/justice/affaire-griveaux-le-batonnier-de-paris-demande-a-branco-de-ne-pas-defendre-pavlenski-19-02-2020-2363332_2386.php|website=lepoint.fr|language=fr|date=2020-02-19|access-date=2020-03-07|publication-date=}}</ref> Branco originally followed the advice but later reverted his decision and joined the defense of Pavlensky once more.<ref>{{cite web|title=Branco redevient avocat de Pavlenski et demande une expertise psychiatrique de Griveaux|url=https://www.lexpress.fr/actualite/societe/justice/branco-redevient-avocat-de-pavlenski-et-demande-une-expertise-psychiatrique-de-griveaux_2120123.html|website=LExpress.fr|language=fr|date=2020-03-05|access-date=2020-03-05|publication-date=}}</ref> Branco went on to request a psychological evaluation of Griveaux, the victim of the alleged crime, whose defense called the request "grotesque and hateful". The request was denied by the examining magistrate as it was deemed "not useful for the establishment of the truth" <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lepoint.fr/justice/griveaux-la-justice-refuse-l-expertise-psychiatrique-demandee-par-branco-11-03-2020-2366834_2386.php#xtmc=branco&xtnp=1&xtcr=4|website=LePoint.fr|language=fr|date=2020-03-12|access-date=2020-04-01}}</ref> |
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In the immediate aftermath of Branco's declarations, Lacroix ordered the creation of a Joint Investigation Team to establish the facts. Its conclusions, which were confidentially transmitted to the UN Secretary General, confirmed the existence of a massacre<ref>https://www.monde-diplomatique.fr/2018/09/BRANCO/59011</ref> and pushed [[Jean-Luc Mélenchon]] to require "France's intervention"<ref>https://www.dw.com/fr/la-minusca-d%C3%A9clare-persona-non-grata-un-expert-ind%C3%A9pendant/a-44012828</ref> Subsequently, the Panel of experts mandated by the UN Security Council established that the Sukula operation, which had been praised by the MINUSCA as a "success" until Branco's intervention, had "deepened the divide between the population and the national security forces, reinforced the role of the self-defence groups in the community and (...) elevated the profile of the self-defence group leaders". Relying on diverse sources and witnesses recollections, it described the 10th of April events as follows: "On 10 April 2018, a patrol of Rwandan peacekeepers intervened to calm down an angry crowd mixed with self-defence group elements that was approaching the police station in the fifth district. This triggered four hours of violent clashes inside the third district that left more than 30 people killed and 100 injured, most likely including a significant number of civilian casualties. The Panel interviewed 10 civilians who were either victims themselves or had relatives who were victims. Furthermore, one Rwandan peacekeeper lost his life and eight others were injured during the clashes." According to the panel, which criticized MINUSCA for having named the operation "Sukula", recalling it meant "cleansing" in Sango, more than 70 people died in the aftermath of the operation, and no sanctions were taken. The UN, which had stated that "no rules of engagement had been broken", did not issue any further reaction.<ref>http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=S/2018/729</ref> |
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== Writer == |
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Juan Branco wrote multiple articles for ''[[Le Monde diplomatique]]'' and ''[[Les Inrockuptibles]]''.<ref name=":0" /> |
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As a journalist, Branco first covered the trial of Yvan Colonna in 2007.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.humanite.fr/node/500|title=La vérité absente du procès Colonna|date=2019-04-01|website=L'Humanité|language=fr|access-date=2019-03-31}}</ref> In 2015, he investigated the [[Orano|Uramin]] scandal<ref>{{cite news|accessdate=2018-10-31|title=Les étranges affaires d’Areva en Afrique|url=https://www.monde-diplomatique.fr/2016/11/BRANCO/56798|newspaper=Le Monde diplomatique|date=1 November 2016}}</ref>. He also covered the [[Kivu conflict]] and the [[Central African Republic Civil War]] as a [[war correspondent]] for ''[[Le Monde diplomatique]]'' and ''[[Les Inrockuptibles]]''.<ref name=":0" /> |
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In 2019 he published the book "Crépuscule", a pamphlet in which he criticized the French president, which sold more than 130.000 copies.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sfrpresse.sfr.fr/article/835b5ec0-b60e-4787-8069-4c22e84c082a|title=Juan Branco et Maxime Nicolle à Lisbonne|website=sfrpresse.sfr.fr|language=fr|access-date=2020-03-10}}</ref> |
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== Personal life == |
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According to [[David Cronenberg]]<ref>http://www.slate.fr/story/56743/cronenberg-entretien-cosmopolis-pattinson-dialogues-don-delillo</ref> and [[Don DeLillo]],<ref>http://www.slate.fr/story/56689/don-delillo-cosmopolis</ref> he triggered the adaptation of ''[[Cosmopolis (novel)|Cosmopolis]]'' to film.<ref name=":0" /> |
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== Self-promotion on Wikipedia == |
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Portrayed in 2012 by La Revue Charles, he received accolades from both President [[François Hollande]] and his political opponent former Prime Minister [[Dominique de Villepin]], who said he had unsuccessfully offered him the direction of his 2012 Presidential campaign.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://revuecharles.fr/juan-branco-une-grosse-production/|title=Juan Branco une grosse production|website=revuecharles.fr|language=fr-FR|access-date=2018-09-24}}</ref> |
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Juan Branco has been editing his own [[Wikipedia]] pages for many years, attempting to embellish his biography. He makes his edits under multiple identities, using what are known as [[Sockpuppet (Internet)|sockpuppets]]. He has also edited articles of others to "settle accounts" by portraying them in a negative light.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.lefigaro.fr/actualite-france/sur-wikipedia-les-vies-revees-de-juan-branco-20200221 |title = Sur Wikipédia, les vies rêvées de Juan Branco}}</ref> |
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He once wrote a threatening letter to the employer of another Wikipedia editor, pretending to be a "Wikipedia administrator" named "Addas Karadas" and threatening legal action.<ref>{{cite web | url= https://www.parismatch.com/Actu/Politique/Juan-Branco-l-avocat-qui-intrigue-1677637}}</ref> |
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In 2016, the main editorial of ''[[Les Inrockuptibles]]'' praised his work and defined him as one of the most important figures of his generation.<ref name="Les Inrocks"/> |
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== Bibliography == |
== Bibliography == |
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* ''De l'affaire Katanga au contrat social global: Un regard sur la Cour pénale internationale'' (Paris, 2015, LGDJ-IUV, 2015, {{ISBN|978-2370320582}})<ref>[http://nouveautes-editeurs.bnf.fr/annonces.html?id_declaration=10000000240191&titre_livre=De_l%E2%80%99affaire_Katanga_au_contrat_social_global BNF reference]</ref> |
* ''De l'affaire Katanga au contrat social global: Un regard sur la Cour pénale internationale'' (Paris, 2015, LGDJ-IUV, 2015, {{ISBN|978-2370320582}})<ref>[http://nouveautes-editeurs.bnf.fr/annonces.html?id_declaration=10000000240191&titre_livre=De_l%E2%80%99affaire_Katanga_au_contrat_social_global BNF reference]</ref> |
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* ''L'ordre et le monde'' (Paris, Fayard, 2016, {{ISBN|978-2213680880}}), edited by [[Alain Badiou]] and [[Barbara Cassin]]<ref>[http://clio-cr.clionautes.org/veille-editoriale-fayard-mars-avril-2014.html Editorial description of L'ordre et le monde]</ref> |
* ''L'ordre et le monde'' (Paris, Fayard, 2016, {{ISBN|978-2213680880}}), edited by [[Alain Badiou]] and [[Barbara Cassin]]<ref>[http://clio-cr.clionautes.org/veille-editoriale-fayard-mars-avril-2014.html Editorial description of L'ordre et le monde]</ref> |
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* ''D'après une image de Daesh'' (Paris, Lignes, 2017, {{ISBN|978-2-35526-164-0}})<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.editions-lignes.com/D-APRES-UNE-IMAGE-DE-DAESH.html|title=Editorial description}}</ref> |
* ''D'après une image de Daesh'' (Paris, Lignes, 2017, {{ISBN|978-2-35526-164-0}})<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.editions-lignes.com/D-APRES-UNE-IMAGE-DE-DAESH.html|title=Editorial description|date=2020-02-25}}</ref> |
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*''Contre Macron'' (Edition Divergence, 2019, {{ISBN|979-1097088125}}) |
*''Contre Macron'' (Edition Divergence, 2019, {{ISBN|979-1097088125}}) |
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* ''Crépuscule'' (Paris, Au Diable Vauvert, 2019) {{ISBN|979-1030702606}} |
* ''Crépuscule'' (Paris, Au Diable Vauvert, 2019) {{ISBN|979-1030702606}} |
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* ''Assange, l'antisouverain'' (Paris, Éditions du Cerf, 2020) {{ISBN|978-2204133074}} |
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== References == |
== References == |
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== External links == |
== External links == |
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* https://twitter.com/anatolium |
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* https://branco-associes.fr |
* https://branco-associes.fr |
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Revision as of 17:44, 24 November 2020
Juan Branco | |
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![]() | |
Born | |
Nationality | French, Spanish |
Education | École normale supérieure (Paris) |
Occupation | Lawyer |
Parents |
|
Juan Branco is a French lawyer, writer and political activist.
He was identified as a Yellow Vest defender and one of the French Assange lawyers. He defends some of the Yellow Vests in court and the movement in the media. His 2019 book, criticizing the links between President Emmanuel Macron, the media and wealthy businessmen, was a success on the internet and sold 130,000 copies. He gained supplementary notoriety in France in early 2020 for his involvement in the Griveaux affair.
Early life and education
Branco was born in Estepona, near Málaga. He is the son of film producer Paulo Branco and became a French citizen in 2010.[citation needed]
He studied philosophy and law at the École normale supérieure. He became politically active as a student, when he protested French copyright law HADOPI.[1] In 2016, he concluded his postgraduate studies, during which he focused on the Germain Katanga ICC's case,[2] and was awarded a Doctor of Law. He continued his academic work as a visiting researcher at Yale Law School and Sapienza's University of Rome.[citation needed] He worked as a senior research fellow at the Max Planck Institute for International Law from 2015 to 2016.[3]
Political activism
As a student, Branco actively supported centre-right former prime-minister Dominique de Villepin, a friend of his mother's.[4]
Afterwards he supported The Greens (France) and then went on to participate in the campaign of future President François Hollande. He worked several months for future French Minister of Culture and Communications Aurélie Filippetti. Filippetti later stated that he "demanded to be hired as her chief of staff at age 22", that he "completely lost it when he was refused the position" and told her that he recorded their conversations. She describes him as "dangerous, intelligent and skillful", as "megalomaniacal, a compulsive liar and very, very manipulative".[5]
Branco went on to join the left-wing populist party La France Insoumise. He stood in the 2017 French legislative election for Seine-Saint-Denis's 12th constituency where he placed fourth. His former running-mate stated that Branco "wanted to win a parliamentary seat and abandoned the party after the loss".[4] After he was refused a sufficiently high spot on the electoral list of La France Insoumise in the 2019 European Parliament election in France his support for the party ended and he called for an abstention in the election.[5][6]
He became a vocal supporter and lawyer of the Yellow vests movement[7] and a critic of President of France Emmanuel Macron thereafter.[8]
In 2018 he outed the homosexuality of his former class-mate Gabriel Attal on Twitter.[9]
Lawyer
He worked as a legal adviser to WikiLeaks and Julian Assange, trying to help obtain asylum for Assange in France.[10][11]
In 2016, before he was admitted to the bar and legally permitted to practice law, he solicited Salah Abdeslam, the only surviving member of the group directly involved in the attacks in Paris on 13 November 2015 (in which 130 people were killed and 683 others were injured), proposing in a letter to help in his legal defense and claiming to be representing Julian Assange.[12][13] One of the French lawyers representing Abdeslam characterized Brancos actions as attempted fraud.[14]
After his admission to the Bar of Paris, he represented Jean-Luc Mélenchon beginning in 2017. His work with Mélenchon ended in 2018 for unknown reasons. He has also represented his father Paulo Branco against Terry Gilliam in The Man Who Killed Don Quixote case.[15]
He briefly worked as an independent expert for the United Nations in 2018, where he has tasked with developing a strategy for investigations conducted by the Special Criminal Court in the Central African Republic.[16] After he accused peacekeeping forces of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) of having been involved in a massacre in the city of Bangui - an accusation denied by MINUSCA - he was expelled from the country and fired by the UN less than a week after his mission started.[17]
Griveaux affair
In February 2020 it was reported that he was representing the Russian activist Petr Pavlensky both before and after the latter leaked sexually explicit videos depicting Benjamin Griveaux, then candidate in the mayoral elections for Paris. Multiple sources claim that Juan Branco was himself involved in the leak,[18] a criminal offense under French law.[19] This was denied by Branco.
Pavlensky was arrested on 14 February 2020 for stabbing two people during a New Year's Eve party organized by Branco and his girlfriend in a Paris flat owned by the latters' parents.[20]
After Branco was hired by Pavlensky as his defense attorney, the chairman of the French bar association opened an inquiry into the appropriateness of the defense in light of Branco's involvement in the affair. No conflict of interest was found but Branco was advised to step down as Pavlensky's defense attorney nonetheless due to a "lack of distance".[21] Branco originally followed the advice but later reverted his decision and joined the defense of Pavlensky once more.[22] Branco went on to request a psychological evaluation of Griveaux, the victim of the alleged crime, whose defense called the request "grotesque and hateful". The request was denied by the examining magistrate as it was deemed "not useful for the establishment of the truth" [23]
Writer
Juan Branco wrote multiple articles for Le Monde diplomatique and Les Inrockuptibles.[11]
In 2019 he published the book "Crépuscule", a pamphlet in which he criticized the French president, which sold more than 130.000 copies.[24]
Self-promotion on Wikipedia
Juan Branco has been editing his own Wikipedia pages for many years, attempting to embellish his biography. He makes his edits under multiple identities, using what are known as sockpuppets. He has also edited articles of others to "settle accounts" by portraying them in a negative light.[25]
He once wrote a threatening letter to the employer of another Wikipedia editor, pretending to be a "Wikipedia administrator" named "Addas Karadas" and threatening legal action.[26]
Bibliography
- Réponses à Hadopi (Paris, Capricci, 2011, ISBN 978-2918040255)[27]
- De l'affaire Katanga au contrat social global: Un regard sur la Cour pénale internationale (Paris, 2015, LGDJ-IUV, 2015, ISBN 978-2370320582)[28]
- L'ordre et le monde (Paris, Fayard, 2016, ISBN 978-2213680880), edited by Alain Badiou and Barbara Cassin[29]
- D'après une image de Daesh (Paris, Lignes, 2017, ISBN 978-2-35526-164-0)[30]
- Contre Macron (Edition Divergence, 2019, ISBN 979-1097088125)
- Crépuscule (Paris, Au Diable Vauvert, 2019) ISBN 979-1030702606
- Assange, l'antisouverain (Paris, Éditions du Cerf, 2020) ISBN 978-2204133074
References
- ^ "Juan Branco | Crunchbase". Crunchbase. Retrieved 2018-06-18.
- ^ "Juan Branco, portrait d'un lobbyiste militant de la liberté d'expression". Success Stories (in French). 2016-06-28. Retrieved 2018-09-19.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-05-16. Retrieved 2016-05-16.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ a b Tabet (March 2020). "Dans les réseaux de Juan Branco". Le Parisien (in French) (23487): 20–23.
- ^ a b (in French) https://www.francetvinfo.fr/economie/transports/gilets-jaunes/des-grandes-ecoles-aux-gilets-jaunes-en-passant-par-wikileaks-qui-est-juan-branco-l-auteur-de-crepuscule-en-guerre-contre-macron_3421861.html. Retrieved 2020-03-08.
{{cite web}}
: Missing or empty|title=
(help) - ^ (in French) https://www.parismatch.com/Actu/Politique/Juan-Branco-l-avocat-qui-intrigue-1677637. Retrieved 2020-03-08.
{{cite web}}
: Missing or empty|title=
(help) - ^ (in French) https://www.lefigaro.fr/politique/juan-branco-itineraire-d-un-enfant-gate-devenu-activiste-sans-scrupule-20200218. Retrieved 2020-03-08.
{{cite web}}
: Missing or empty|title=
(help) - ^ "Des grandes écoles aux "gilets jaunes" en passant par WikiLeaks : qui est Juan Branco, l'avocat proche de Piotr Pavlenski ?". Franceinfo (in French). 2019-05-07. Retrieved 2020-06-30.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ (in French) https://lincorrect.org/nous-serons-probablement-demain-lun-et-lautre-des-ennemis-principiels-juan-branco/. Retrieved 2020-03-08.
{{cite web}}
: Missing or empty|title=
(help) - ^ 2015 NSA Espionnage revelations
- ^ a b "Juan Branco". IMDb. Retrieved 2018-06-18.
- ^ "Quand Juan Branco écrivait à Salah Abdeslam". valeursactuelles.com. 22 February 2020. Retrieved 22 February 2020..
- ^ "Juan Branco a écrit une lettre à Salah Abdeslam en 2016 pour le conseiller". rtl.fr. 22 February 2020. Retrieved 23 February 2020..
- ^ ""C'est un exercice illégal" : quand il sollicite le terroriste Abdeslam, Juan Branco... n'est pas encore avocat". marianne.net. 25 February 2020..
- ^ "Paris appeals court rules in favour of Paulo Branco on 'The Man Who Killed Don Quixote'". Screen. Retrieved 2018-06-18.
- ^ https://fr.africanews.com/2018/05/31/centrafrique-la-minusca-expulse-un-expert-francais-qui-l-accuse-de-crimes.
{{cite news}}
: Missing or empty|title=
(help) - ^ https://www.reuters.com/article/us-centralafrica-un/un-fires-central-africa-legal-adviser-who-accused-peacekeepers-of-massacre-idUSKCN1IW265.
{{cite news}}
: Missing or empty|title=
(help) - ^ "Vidéos intimes de Griveaux : le rôle trouble de Juan Branco". lepoint.fr (in French). Retrieved 2020-02-29.
- ^ "France shrugs at sex scandals. But after a leaked video, this politician bowed out". washingtonpost.com. Retrieved 2020-02-29.
- ^ http://www.leparisien.fr/faits-divers/piotr-pavlenski-dans-les-coulisses-de-sa-soiree-du-31-decembre-2019-29-02-2020-8269833.php
- ^ "Le bâtonnier de Paris a demandé à Branco de ne pas défendre Pavlenski". lepoint.fr (in French). 2020-02-19. Retrieved 2020-03-07.
- ^ "Branco redevient avocat de Pavlenski et demande une expertise psychiatrique de Griveaux". LExpress.fr (in French). 2020-03-05. Retrieved 2020-03-05.
- ^ LePoint.fr (in French). 2020-03-12 https://www.lepoint.fr/justice/griveaux-la-justice-refuse-l-expertise-psychiatrique-demandee-par-branco-11-03-2020-2366834_2386.php#xtmc=branco&xtnp=1&xtcr=4. Retrieved 2020-04-01.
{{cite web}}
: Missing or empty|title=
(help) - ^ "Juan Branco et Maxime Nicolle à Lisbonne". sfrpresse.sfr.fr (in French). Retrieved 2020-03-10.
- ^ "Sur Wikipédia, les vies rêvées de Juan Branco".
- ^ https://www.parismatch.com/Actu/Politique/Juan-Branco-l-avocat-qui-intrigue-1677637.
{{cite web}}
: Missing or empty|title=
(help) - ^ Library of the Congress
- ^ BNF reference
- ^ Editorial description of L'ordre et le monde
- ^ "Editorial description". 2020-02-25.