Simon Fieschi, the former webmaster of the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdowas found dead Thursday October 17, announced this Saturday October 19 the Paris prosecutor’s office and his lawyer. The 40-year-old man was one of the survivors of the Kouachi brothers’ attack in January 2015. The Paris prosecutor’s office has opened an investigation to shed light on the circumstances of his death.
2 mins
He is the first person that the Chérif brothers and Saïd Kouachi were hit when they opened fire in the premises of Charlie Hebdoduring the attack perpetrated on January 7, 2015. Plunged into an artificial coma after a Kalashnikov rifle bullet passed through his body, Simon Fieschi only emerged a week later, with serious after-effects. Affected in the spine, he then spent nine months in hospital trying to regain the use of his legs.
In 2020, Simon Fieschi returned, in the columns of Charlie Hebdoon this fight for “ get back to living “. He recounted his struggle with pain – physical and psychological – and waking up in a damaged body after the terrorist barbarity. Last September, the survivor attended and testified at the trial of Peter Cherifjihadist sentenced to life imprisonment for preparing his childhood friend, Chérif Kouachi, to commit the attack on Charlie Hebdo.
“ There are scars that never heal »
His lifeless body was discovered on Thursday, the Paris prosecutor’s office told AFP on Saturday, specifying that a ” investigation into the causes of death » had been opened and that “ no hypothesis » could not be privileged at this stage. Me Nathalie Senyk, Simon Fieschi’s lawyer, denied the reports of a suicide: “ There is no evidence in favor of a voluntary action at this stage of the investigations and the causes of death are still unknown. »
Several people paid tribute to the webmaster after the announcement of his death. “ Simon Fieschi was struggling to overcome the horror of which he had been a victim. There are scars that many no longer see but which never heal », tweeted François HollandePresident of the Republic at the time of the attack against Charlie Hebdo which left 12 dead. “ We will not forget you and will pay tribute to you », wrote the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo.
On the same social network, the editorial staff of Charlie Hebdo cries a “ friend » : « At the trial for the January 2015 attacks, he notably recounted the impact that the Kalashnikov bullets had had on his body, lamenting that he was no longer able to give the middle finger. I promise Simon, we will continue to make them for you. »