An investigation for the dissemination of child pornography images was opened this week once morest the author of comic strips Bastien Vivès and two publishing houses that published some of his works, the Nanterre prosecutor’s office said on Friday, requested by the AFP.
This preliminary investigation, entrusted to the Brigade for the protection of minors, targets the 38-year-old author, figure of the 9th art, as well as the publishing houses Glénat and Les Requins Marteaux which published three of his works in 2011 and 2018, said the Nanterre prosecutor’s office and a source familiar with the matter.
Contacted, Glénat editions might not be reached immediately. The investigation was opened following the filing of a complaint at the end of December by the Foundation for Children association with the Nanterre prosecutor’s office.
Representations of minors
This complaint, elements of which had been revealed by France Info, targets three comics which “deliver representations of minors, in sexually explicit situations, undoubtedly presenting a pornographic nature”.
These three comics are entitled “Petit Paul” (Glénat, 2018), “The mental discharge” (Les Requins Marteaux, 2018) and “The melons of anger” (Les Requins hammers, 2011).
Staging of incestuous relationships
In “The melons of anger”, “Bastien Vivès stages Magalie, a young underage girl who suffers repeated sexual assault and rape”, describes The Foundation for Children, quoted by France Info.
“Incestuous relations are also staged between Magalie and her brother, Petit Paul”, whose “lack of consent” is “presented as obvious”, continues the association.
Filing complaint
Another association, Innocence in danger, also lodged a complaint with the Paris prosecutor’s office at the end of December once morest Bastien Vivès and the same publishing houses, considering that these three comic strips were part of the dissemination of child pornography images but also of incitement to the commission of sexual assaults on minors and the dissemination of violent messages to a minor.
If the investigation in Nanterre was opened for dissemination of child pornography, the investigators are not required to limit themselves to this single offense during their investigations.
afp/hkr