Ophélie Bretnacher disappearance

The case of Ophélie Bretnacher's disappearance is a complex criminal and diplomatic case between France and Hungary, both members of the European Union.

 Disappearance 

Ophélie Bretnacher was a French student, at the Reims Management School. With the European exchange programme, called Erasmus Programme, she spent some time at the Corvinius University of Budapest.  Ophélie Bretnacher disappeared in Budapest, Hungary on 4 December 2008. Coming out from a nightclub, the Portside of Cuba, she was tracked by the city video cameras part of her way. Her cellular phone and her bag were later found on the Lanchid bridge.

 Diplomatic and political consequences 

In the French Government, Catherine Vautrin, the Vice-Président of the National Assembly recalls the disappearance of Ophélie and asks for a French intervention. and Ophélie appears on Nicolas Sarkozy's blog.

Ophélie Bretnacher disappeared 2 and a half months after Eva Rhodes, the Yoko Ono and John Lennon model, in Hungary. , The Guardian du 8 février 2009. , The London Evening Standard du 13 mars 2009 Their families are planning to send a claim from the European Union and make known the fact that 4500 foreign people disappear each year in Hungary.

Good police and judicial cooperation between countries, members of the European Union is specified in the Treaty of Lisbon, applicable on 1 December 2009 and in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.

 Criminal case 

Her body was discovered in Csepel, in February 2009, in a backwater of the Danube. Homicide cannot be ruled out, L’Est Républicain 4 th December 2009 because of the finding of an hematoma on Ophelie's body as well as many gray areas during the search., L’Union February 14 th 2009

To date, no findings have been sent  by Hungary such as the  forensic analysis like  Diatoms  and the Danube search report, despite the intervention mission twice in 2009 of French investigators in Hungary and the local investigation seems not having progressed for one year., L’Union December 7 th 2009, doubt is no more possible

In February 2010, her family filed a new claim for murder. The Bretnacher family lawyer is  William Bourdon, the secretary-general of the International Federation of Human Rights Leagues (1995-2000) and the lawyer of Transparency International. Ophélie Bretnacher, plainte pour meurtre, le Figaro, 2 February 2010 Elle, La famille relance l'enquête 2 February 2010 ;   "Justice, ces familles qui s'impliquent", Jean-Pierre Thiollet, France-Soir, 18 th February 2010

In March 2010, a judicial inquiry is opened in Paris for kidnapping, sequestration, followed by murder.Mort d'Ophélie Bretnacher en Hongrie, une information judiciaire , le Point March 17, 2010

 Mobilization each year 

One year later her friends, who were successful in raising 60 000 people on Facebook groups, from many European nations, launched a request for the second consecutive year in order to obtain some answers.

At the end of 2010, two years after her disappearance, more than 45,000 people from different countries took part to another Facebook event for Ophélie and, on December 4th, her friends announced that they will organize a new Internet mobilization: Il y a deux ans disparaissait Ophélie Bretnacher, L’Union du 4 décembre 2010

We will create an event for Ophélie, every year, until full light will be shed on her disappearance and death, until justice is done ! Un coeur pour Ophélie, L’Union du 4 décembre 2010.

Improbabilities that persist in 2011

Two years after her disappearance, on 4 December 2010, Maitre William Bourdon, said that the investigation continues. The article also notes:

- The complete analysis of diatoms, which would have allowed knowing with certainty the location of drowning, has not been obtained yet.

- All required documents have not been sent.

- The telephone terminals on the path of Ophélie have not been exploited yet.

- Some evidences (such as the walker who heard screams of women at the time of the disappearance was close to where her bag was found) have not been investigated further

- The body of Ophélie was in a place against the current, and it is not possible that came from the Chain Bridge. Maitre William Bourdon : l'enquête avance, L’Union du 4 décembre 2010

 References 

 Other websites  
 11/01/2009 Manifestation Film To ask more collaboration between french and Hungarian police - AFP document 

Category:2008 deaths
Category:Budapest
Category:2000s crimes
Category:21st century in Hungary