French daily Le Monde has accused the Nicolas Sarkozy government of investigating one of its journalists who was looking into the Woerth-Bettencourt affair, which it claims is in violation of the principle which necessarily places journalists at odds with those in power.The paper is pressing charges against unnamed persons in an attempt to ensure that, both now and later, "the freedom of the press is strictly respected," read an editorial from today's paper.

Since July, Le Monde editor Sylvie Kauffmann wrote in a front page article, the president's office, known as the Elysée, has ordered investigations that directly infringe upon the law concerning the protection of sources.

"The secret of journalists' sources is protected as part of their mission of informing the public," reads an article added to the 1881 law on the freedom of the press during Sarkozy's time as president. It is exactly this which the executive is violating, said Le Monde's editorial. Journalists can only be forced to reveal their sources to the police if thoroughly justified in the public interest. According to Le Monde, "those in power are interpreting this notion of public interest in an unusual manner, confusing it with their own interests." The editorial insists that in fact, it is in the public interest to bring the Woerth-Bettencourt affair to light as soon as possible.

The scandal, involving alleged illegal under-the-table donations to Sarkozy's party from L'Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt, has shaken the political landscape in France. Eric Woerth, France's labour minister and Sarkozy's former fundraiser, has been accused of accepting the donations. Paid online-only site Médiapart has played a significant role in releasing information connected to the affair.

Kauffmann wrote that Le Monde's story from 18-19 July entitled "Liliane Bettencourt's principle collaborator puts Eric Woerth in difficulty" seemed to "particularly irritate" the Elysée. The police were apparently ordered to put an end to the leaks through whom Le Monde obtained this information. Secret services (the DCRI) were brought in without judicial proceedings in mid-late July, to determine who a potential source might be. They landed on a senior justice ministry adviser David Sénat, and through phone tapping established a link with Le Monde journalist Gérard Davet. Sénat was asked to stand down and has been sent to French Guyana.

The Elysée has denied any involvement, but France's national police chief confirmed that an ministerial aide had been accused of releasing restricted information, Agence France-Presse and Le Monde reported.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said that it is "very disturbed" by Le Monde's claims. "If the Elysée Palace really ordered government personnel to violate the law on the secrecy of sources in the Woerth-Bettencourt case, it would constitute a violation of press freedom as serious as tapping journalists' telephones," a statement on RSF's site said. "Such behaviour is unacceptable in a democracy," the statement read, and "we offer Le Monde all our support in its determination to establish whether the government violated the confidentiality of sources."

Is press freedom under threat in France? The press is highly dependent on state funds, and a recent government-commissioned report concluded that the funding was stifling innovation and keeping the press in a state of "permanent artificial respiration." In July an article in the Guardian claimed that Sarkozy had a worrying degree of influence over the French media. The article was prompted by his "shocking" alleged interference in the sale of Le Monde and discussed fears of the "Berlusconisation" of the media. Will Le Monde's current course of action have an effect on this situation?

Source: Le Monde (1), (2), AFP, Guardian

Sylvie Kauffmann will be speaking at the 17th World Editors Forum to be held in Hamburg, Germany on 6,7 and 8 October.