France's broadcasting watchdog called Tuesday on the country's television channels to be extremely cautious in showing footage of International Monetary Fund managing director Dominique Strauss-Kahn in handcuffs, a practice that contravenes French law.
In the days since New York City police said Mr. Strauss-Kahn had been arrested and charged with sexually assaulting a cleaning woman in his room at the Sofitel Hotel near Times Square, images of the International Monetary Fund chief have flooded airwaves and the pages of newspapers and magazines in France.
The footage has transfixed the nation, not least because French law prohibits cameras inside French courtrooms, as well as any footage of people in handcuffs unless they have been convicted by a court.
In a statement, the broadcasting authority called on "television channels to show the utmost restraint in the broadcasting of images regarding a person involved in criminal proceedings. "The principle of freedom of expression and right to information shouldn't ignore the fact that such images can harm a person's dignity."
The agency couldn't immediately be reached for further comment.
It's unclear whether the broadcasting agency can actually stop television channels from showing the images. Any fines would have to be approved by a court and in any case, the law allows for a maximum fine of 15,000 euros ($21,273).
"We've been watching Strauss-Kahn on prime-time TV shows and on the front page of all newspapers handcuffed, being forcibly pushed into a car by policemen, and this is contrary to the spirit of the law," said Dominique de Leusse, a lawyer for Mr. Strauss-Kahn who is representing him in a separate controversy with French daily newspaper France Soir. "Even if the handcuffs weren't apparent, it was obvious that he was being coerced," he said.
Mr. de Leusse said he would decide in the coming days whether to file a complaint on behalf of his client against French media.
A French law, passed in 2000, strengthens the protection of the presumption of innocence by forbidding the dissemination of images of a person handcuffed.
French media lawyers said even if the images of the IMF chief from New York haven't actually showed the handcuffs, television channels may be in breach of national law because the footage clearly shows his hands are restrained.
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