While the general public is heavily against the new law, President Sarkozy has gathered enough support to get it signed into action. However, even before it’s officially adopted, heads are already rolling. The first victim’s name is Jérôme Bourreau-Guggenheim, who worked as head of web innovation at the largest TV network in France, TF1.

According to the Frech news outlet Ecrans it all started on February 19. Jérôme, like many other French citizens, decided to write an email to Françoise de Panafieu, his representative in the French Parliament in order to vent his personal opinion.

The topic of the email was “HADOPI” and Jérôme wrote, “I’ve read a lot on the subject because it concerns me. Firstly because it is my job, and secondly because I’m passionate about the web.” He then went on to explain why he believes implementing the law would be a disaster, urging the MP to vote against it.

In a democracy everyone is of course entitled to voice his or her opinion, but not in a demokarcy apparently. On 16 April, Jérôme Bourreau was fired citing “strong differences with the strategy” of TF1. So, his concerns with the new law were actually passed on to his employer by the MP.

Indeed, in the letter it was explained that the correspondence was received through the office of the Minister of Culture, who forwarded Jérôme’s email to TF1. “We consider this position as an act of opposition to the strategy of the TF1 group,” the letter read, stating that the passage of HADOPI was extremely important to the TV-network.

Jérôme has hired an attorney and will appeal his dismissal, since it’s discrimination based on political views, which has nothing to do with his work performance. The Ministry of Culture through which the email was leaked said it did not know how it ended up at TF1. However, the boss of the network is a good friend of President Sarkozy – that might ring some bells.

Source: TV Exec Fired for Opposing Anti-Piracy law

The Internet uploaders had managed to acquire a DVD screener of the movie from insiders at private TV channel TF1, one of Europe’s largest television channels. By November 2006 it was reported that police had begun making arrests, including some at TF1. Eventually, three employees of TF1 were detained, including two men aged 45 and 47 who admitted making a copy of the movie for their own private use.

Another three from outside the company using the nicknames Darkpingoo, H2o and Vb2n were also arrested for leaking the movie to Usenet, following a complaint by the video editors Union (SEV) and the distributor of the film.

The case was heard yesterday at the 15th Criminal Chamber of the Tribunal de Grande Instance (TGI) in Paris. The court heard that the individuals didn’t profit from leaking the movie to the Internet but nevertheless, StudioCanal, the DVD publisher of the movie, was looking for stiff punishment. It demanded jail sentences of between 2 and 4 months for the six, claiming 13 million euros losses.

With lawyers for the prosecution branding the defendants a “Gang of Chihuahuas,” some actors in the movie demanded 1 million euros each in damages. The stars of the movie – Josiane Balasko, Thierry Lhermitte and Gerard Jugnot – requested a symbolic 1 euro each.

The prosecution said the leak was “helping to torpedo the cinema market,” but in their defense, the employees of TF1 Film Production argued that the practice of copying movies for personal use was tolerated at the company.

The court ruled that collectively the six defendants, aged 21 to 53 years old, must pay 15,000 euros damages to StudioCanal, but dismissed the multi-million Euro damages claim, issuing 1 month suspended jail sentences instead. The stars of the movie got their 1 euro each.

Recently, France has been gathering a reputation as being tough on Internet pirates, with President Sarkozy taking a very aggressive stance. According to Wikipedia, “key figures within TF1 are close friends to some of the most powerful politicians in France.”

Source: Court Hands Movie Leakers Suspended Jail Sentences