It is for an article signed by the Ukrainian-German scientific journalist Leonid Schneider and relayed on his own blog that the Azurean Alexander Samuel finds himself in the crosshairs of Didier Raoult. Qualified as a “druid” and “chloroquine guru”, the former director of the IHU in Marseille, targeted today by judicial information and damning reports, attacks in defamation this doctor in biology, who introduces himself -even as a whistleblower.
Actually filed in June 2021, but revealed Monday by Nice morning, the complaint concerns this 37-year-old former “yellow vest”, but also the original author of the text, confirms to 20 minutes Me Brice Grazzini, Didier Raoult’s lawyer.
One of the first to question Didier Raoult’s studies on hydroxychloroquine
Science teacher in a high school in Grasse with an explosive look, Alexander Samuel, long hair and beard, was among the first to question the words of Didier Raoult on the use of hydroxychloroquine to fight against Covid-19. He denounced, from March 23, 2020 on Twitter, certain “tricks” in the first study published by the Marseille microbiologist. And he has since been working to “debunk” certain assertions that the ex-boss of the IHU defended, in particular in his videos.
In the article which is the subject of the complaint, shared in March 2021 on his site, Alexander Samuel translates the statements of Leonid Schneider, who denounced “falsified data, financial fraud and illegal clinical trials” by Didier Raoult.
Three complaints for defamation
“If he provides proof of what he says, he cannot be convicted,” reacted Me Brice Grazzini to Nice morning. “I had committed remarks, but I rely on publications”, assures the doctor of biology, also questioned by the regional daily. According to him, “the objective” of the complaint, “is to silence people”. What Didier Raoult’s counsel refutes: “it’s not a gag procedure,” he said.
On September 9, the Marseille criminal court examined another complaint from the Marseille infectious disease specialist against his Parisian counterpart Karine Lacombe, the deliberation of which must be returned on November 22. In addition to this legal action and that which targets Alexander Samuel and Leonid Schneider, a third was brought by Didier Raoult for defamation. It concerns Jean-Paul Stahl, a doctor from Grenoble who also accused him of having “falsified” his study and of telling “nonsense”.