A top asbestos campaigner in France is facing libel action from an industry lobby group. Unions have vowed to support François Desriaux, a driving force behind the French asbestos victim support group Andeva. This autumn he is scheduled to appear in the Paris regional lower criminal court to answer libel charges brought against him by the Montreal-based Chrysotile Institute. The organisation is claiming ‘public criminal libel of a private individual’. It says the institute is described on the Andeva website as ‘a body highly active in propaganda and subornation’ [inducing others to commit an illegal act].
