French inmate escapes prison by hiding in fellow prisoner's bag
The man concealed himself in the bag of the departing prisoner and exited the prison undetected, officials told local media.
An internal investigation has been launched by the prison service, which confirmed the escape to AFP, stating that the inmate 'took advantage of the liberation of his fellow inmate to hide himself in his luggage and get out.'
French media reported that the escapee had been serving multiple sentences and was also under investigation in a case linked to organized crime.
Local prosecutors have now opened a judicial investigation into 'escape as part of an organized gang and criminal conspiracy.'
The incident has drawn renewed attention to longstanding issues at the Lyon-Corbas facility. As of May 1, 2025, the prison was holding around 1,200 inmates — nearly double its official capacity of 678, according to BFMTV.
The Lyon Bar Association had already raised concerns last month over overcrowding and understaffing.
The breakout comes just weeks after France was shaken by a deadly ambush on a prison van in Normandy that killed two guards. That attack triggered a nationwide review of prison security protocols.
Authorities have not yet disclosed whether any staff members are suspected of involvement or negligence in Friday's escape. The search for the escaped prisoner remains ongoing. — Agencies
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Arab News
3 hours ago
- Arab News
Disinformation catalyzes anti-migrant unrest in Spain
MADRID: The rare anti-migrant violence that recently rocked a Spanish town demonstrated how online disinformation feeds xenophobic hate speech, which leapt from screens to real life with the support of politicians, experts said. Last weekend's unrest in the southeastern town of Torre Pacheco pitted far-right groups against immigrant residents, mainly of Moroccan origin, but a heavy police presence prevented serious confrontations. The altercations were sparked after a 68-year-old pensioner said three men of North African origin attacked him without provocation on July 9. Two days later, the conservative-led city council organized a protest against insecurity, which quickly escalated when far-right groups joined with hostile slogans against immigrants. That day, and for several nights, riots broke out in the streets of the southeastern city of 40,000. Authorities have arrested 14 people, including three suspected of involvement in the attack on the retiree. Also among those detained is the leader of the far-right 'Deport Them Now' group, who allegedly called for a 'hunt' of migrants on social media. The sudden outbreak of violence took Spain by surprise but anti-migrant discourse had already been brewing, partly due to disinformation circulating on social media. AFP's digital verification team in Spain has debunked many false claims linked to immigrants, mostly concerning public benefits they supposedly receive and alleged attacks by foreigners on Spanish customs. For Alexandre Lopez Borrull, a professor in communication and information science at the Open University of Catalonia, disinformation in such cases is 'the fuel and the spark at the same time.' The narrative 'is fueled over a long period of time' and when a specific event occurs, it can act as a spark in scenarios like the one that played out in Torre Pacheco, he said. A video purporting to show the assault on the pensioner, along with a list of alleged attackers, quickly circulated online — both debunked by AFP. Elisa Brey, a sociology professor at Madrid's Complutense University, likened the phenomenon to criminals setting off wildfires. 'It's hot, there's a temperature alert, and an arsonist passes by and throws a match. That is what happens with disinformation,' she said. Experts also emphasized the role of politicians, particularly the far-right Vox party, in fanning the flames of anti-migrant rhetoric. Vox has long connected immigration to crime and recently proposed, echoing other EU political parties and far-right activists, that some migrants be deported as part of a broad 'remigration' plan. Foreigners make up 14 percent of Spain's population, up from only 1.6 percent in 1998. In events like the violent protests in Torre Pacheco, malicious discourse seeps through different layers of social media before erupting into the public sphere, Brey explained. First, it simmers at an 'underlying' level on less visible platforms like Telegram, before jumping to more popular networks such as X and TikTok. Politicians then amplify the message through public statements, she said. Vox's leader in the southeastern Murcia region, which includes Torre Pacheco, blamed the unrest on 'illegal immigration,' claiming that migrants had assaulted the elderly and committed sexual violence against women. Prosecutors have opened an investigation into his comments to determine if they constitute a hate crime. Social media was used in a way that, 'in the end, it led to these events,' added Marcelino Madrigal, an expert in online platforms and cybersecurity. Madrigal also detected that parties were shifting their position on immigration with an eye on political gain at a time of speculation about early elections in Spain. 'With disinformation about immigration, the aim is to destabilize a government or a country as well as present yourself as an alternative to save us from a problem that does not exist,' he said.
Al Arabiya
a day ago
- Al Arabiya
Family of French German cyclist detained in Iran says he is ‘innocent'
The family of a 19-year-old Franco-German cyclist arrested in Iran while on a Europe-to-Asia bike trip said on Thursday he was 'innocent' and demanded proof of life from Iranian authorities. Family and friends of Lennart Monterlos, who disappeared in Iran on June 16, in a statement sent to AFP urged 'the swift release of our very young son who is innocent of everything,' asking 'the Iranian authorities who are holding him for a sign of life.' Read more:
Al Arabiya
3 days ago
- Al Arabiya
Gunmen kill 27 in north-central Nigeria: Local sources
Gunmen killed 27 people in north-central Nigeria's Plateau state in the latest violence in this restive region, local sources told AFP on Tuesday. The attack on Monday evening in Jebu-Rahoss, in the Riyom local government area, wounded others who were sent to hospital, said Chuwang David, a local resident.
