France’s top appeals court has thrown out a judicial investigation into alleged negligence by former Health Minister Agnes Buzyn in her handling of the pandemic, after critics had said her preparation to deal with the crisis had been inadequate.
A number of legal complaints were filed, which ultimately triggered the probe against her, reports Reuters.
Buzyn, Health Minister from May 2017 to February 2020, stepped down just after the start of the pandemic to run for mayor of Paris, although she failed to get elected.
The government’s response during the first months of the pandemic was slammed by the public, with accusations, among others, that Buzyn had put lives at risk by not adequately communicating the dangers of the virus.
She has consistently denied being guilty of negligence in her handling of the crisis, but in September 2021, complaints against her from the public triggered an investigation by the Cour de Justice de La Republique, a special court that deals with cases brought against government officials.
Ruling on a legal challenge brought by Buzyn against the investigation, the court said the investigative committee had failed to provide references to any legislation that would allow it to conclude there was a particular duty of care she could have violated.
“The offence of endangering others can only be charged against a person if a law or regulation imposes a particular duty of care or safety,” the court said, adding that investigators failed to demonstrate such an obligation with regard to the minister.
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