Enacted parts

ARTICLE 434-15-1
(Act no. 2000-516 of 15 June 2000 Article 32 Official Journal 16 June 2000 in force 1 January 2001)
(Act no. 2000-1354 of 30 December 2000 Article 11 Official Journal of 31 December 2000)
(Ordinance no. 2000-916 of 19 September 2000 Article 3 Official Journal of 22 September 2000 in force 1 January
2002)
(Act no. 2002-1138 of 9 September 2002 Article 39 Official Journal of 10 September 2002)
Any person, summoned by an investigating judge or a judicial police officer acting in the exercise of a rogatory
commission in order to be heard as a witness, who refuses to appear, to take the oath or to make a deposition without
justification or excuse, is punished by a fine of €3,750.
ARTICLE 434-15-2
(Inserted by Act no. 2001-1062 of 15 November 2001 Article 31 16 November 2001)
A penalty of three years' imprisonment and a fine of €45,000 are incurred by anyone who, having the key to
decipher an encrypted message which may have been used to prepare, facilitate or commit a felony or a
misdemeanour, refuses to disclose that key to the judicial authorities or to operate it following instructions issued by the
judicial authorities under of title II and III of Book I of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
Where the refusal was made where the disclosure of the key or its operation would have prevented the commission
of a felony or a misdemeanour or would have limited its consequences, he penalty is increased to five years'
imprisonment and a fine of €75,000.
ARTICLE 434-16
The publication, prior to the pronouncement of the final judicial decision, of commentaries by pressure to influence
the statements of witnesses or the decision of the judicial investigating authority or trial court is punished by six months'
imprisonment and a fine of €7,500.
When the offence is committed through the press or by broadcasting, the specific legal provisions governing these
matters are applicable to define the persons who are responsible.