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Judges reject Cassez freedom bid

2012-03-22 34 Dailymotion

PLEASE NOTE: EDIT CONTAINS CONVERTED 4:3 MATERIAL

Five Mexican Supreme Court judges decide the fate of jailed French national Florence Cassez.

Their decision - to reject an application to free her from a 60-year jail term for kidnapping.

Cassez's mother is furious.

SOUNDBITE: CHARLOTTE CASSEZ, MOTHER OF FLORENCE CASSEZ, SAYING (French):

"I'm extremely said, I am disappointed. I'm even shocked. What can I tell you? It could take months, it's horrible, and I'm not even with her."

Cassez was arrested in 2005 with her former boyfriend who was accused of heading the Zodiacs kidnap gang.

Police forced her to play a kidnapper in a staged re-enactment of officers freeing abductees, which was later aired on national tv as the real thing.

Despite rejecting her freedom bid, the judges have agreed her rights were violated, which could mean a retrial.

But others in Mexico say she should stay behind bars regardless of such violations.

SOUNDBITE: OCTAVIO FLORES, PROTESTER, SAYING (Spanish):

"I believe that justice was finally served. I believe the woman is guilty but they violated her human rights from the start and that is why it's controversial."

The case has sparked a diplomatic row with France which has condemned Mexico's justice system.

Cassez was convicted in a hearing behind closed doors and without a jury.

Paul Chapman, Reuters