The Human Resources director of Charlie Hebdo has been forced to flee her home after receiving death threats as the trial for the January 2015 terror attack against the French satirical magazine continues.
Marika Bret said on Monday that authorities had removed her from her home due to the rising level of threats against her. She told French media: “This reflects the unprecedented level of tension we face.”
“On Monday, September 14th, my security officers received specific and detailed threats. I had ten minutes to do my business and leave my home,” she told Le Point on Monday and added: “Ten minutes to give up part of your life is a bit short, and it’s very violent.”
According to a report from magazine Marianne, Bret said that since the start of the trial for the 2015 terror attack, she and other members of Charle Hebdo had seen a rise in threats. She said: “We have received all kinds of horrors, including threats from Al Qaeda and calls to finish the work of the Kouachi brothers.”
The Kouachi brothers, Saïd and Chérif, were the ones who carried out the shootings at the Charlie Hebdo offices in 2015, killing 12 people and injuring 11 more. The two brothers were later killed in police raids several days later.
Bret also mentioned that currently, Charlie Hebdo‘s offices are incredibly well guarded, and the address of the office is also a secret.
“The address of our premises is secret, there are security locks everywhere, armoured doors and windows, armed security agents, we can bring in hardly anyone,” Bret said.
Ahead of the trial for the 2015 attacks, Charlie Hebdo chose again to publish the controversial Mohammed cartoons, one of which was drawn by one of the victims of the terrorist attack.
Laurent Sourisseau, commonly known as “Riss”, now edits Charlie Hebdo and commented on the move to publish the cartoons again. He said: “There was a need for a good reason to do it, a reason which has meaning and which brings something to the debate… to [reprint the pictures] this week at the opening of the trial of the January 2015 attacks, seemed essential to us.”