SHORT VERSION"The Chebeya Affair, A State Crime?" is a political tragicomedy that is both the chronicle of an exceptional trial and a fascinating political thriller. After the macabre discovery of Floribert Chebeya’s body in Kinshasa, Thierry Michel set out with his camera to try to retrace the steps of this internationally known human rights activist. Over a period of 8 months, he filmed the extraordinary trial where military officers judged chiefs of police.
LONG VERSION"TheChebeya Affair, A State Crime?" is a political tragicomedy that is both the chronicle of an exceptional trial and a fascinating political thriller. After the macabre discovery of FloribertChebeya’s body in Kinshasa, Thierry Michel set out with his camera to try to retrace the steps of this internationally known human rights activist. The deeply moving funeral was followed by impressive demonstrations demanding the truth about what quickly began to look like a political assassination. Due to strong international pressure, the trial started 5 months later. Thierry Michel filmed this extraordinary event where military officers judged chiefs of police. Denials, lies, forgeries, the disappearance of evidence… the trial laid bare all the stratagems the police officers had set in place to prevent the truth from getting out, camouflage their crimes, and protect those truly responsible. In the name of state interest? The issues dealt with in this film go well beyond the DRC and this particular case, and raise universal questions regarding the defense of human rights and impunity.
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