Student arrested during protest

Bryan, a 17-year-old senior high school student in Montpellier, was arrested on October 13 while leading a school mobilization with classmates. The arrest happened around 7 a.m. when gendarmes detained him.

Charges and initial procedures

Bryan claims he was read his rights and handcuffed, and he was accused of insulting a person entrusted with public authority, carrying a non-explosive pyrotechnic article, and participating in a gathering with the aim of preparing violence against people, destruction, or damage to property during public demonstrations. He was taken to the gendarmerie in Saint-Gély-du-Fesc, where he was placed in custody.

Treatment during custody

During his time at the gendarmerie, Bryan underwent various procedures, including fingerprinting, hair collection, saliva sampling, and photographs taken from all angles. He described these actions as efforts to ensure he could be identified again and to intimidate him.

Conditions in the cell

Bryan described his time in the cell as difficult, with no light and sleeping on a bench-like bed at night. He was reportedly woken every hour by a soldier or an unidentified person. He claims that because he was articulate and provided legal articles upon arrival, the authorities intended to make his night difficult, which they succeeded in doing.

Transfer to judicial court

The next morning, 24 hours after his arrest, Bryan was transferred to the judicial court in Montpellier. He described the transfer as being driven quickly with sirens and running red lights, making him feel like a criminal. At the courthouse, he was informed that the prosecutor would see him later than expected, at 9 a.m.

Waiting in the courthouse

He waited more than five hours in a basement cell measuring 4 square meters, with no light, no toilets, and only a small, dirty bench. He reported hearing people screaming and pounding around him and having no sense of time or access to basic facilities.