Former RTS star Darius Rochebin accused of …

Sexual harassment, inappropriate gestures, abuse of power: an investigation by Le Temps reveals dysfunctions within the RTS by pinning several employees, including the former star presenter Darius Rochebin. The management of the channel refutes any accusation of laxity.

The survey disseminated Saturday by the daily, which mobilized three journalists for several months, is based on thirty anonymized testimonies for publication. An executive, still in post, would have been the subject of about fifteen internal complaints for mobbing, suggestive SMS and vicious letters, in particular.

The testimonies evoke the case of another employee with inadequate behavior. It is about wandering hands and forced kisses. According to the Time, management knew but did not act. “The RTS strongly rejects any accusation of laxity in the management of harassment or protection of its employees,” she said in a statement on Saturday.

Young men

The accounts collected mainly target Darius Rochebin who left RTS this summer to rebound in France on LCI. A woman claims to have been forcibly kissed while another recounts how the journalist allegedly grabbed her hand to put it on her genitals.

Testimonies of men, young people who want to break into journalism, question the behavior of Darius Rochebin. The star would have offered them a cafe, a restaurant and the conversation would have skidded on their sex life. One of them allegedly had a relationship with the journalist. “I didn’t want to go any further, but I felt I couldn’t go back,” he told Le Temps.

The acts alleged against Darius Rochebin are serious and shocking.

Pascal Crittin, channel director

The investigation also reveals fake Facebook profiles that Darius Rochebin allegedly used to get in touch with these young people. Contacted by Le Temps, Darius Rochebin responded through his lawyer. He “firmly denies having engaged in criminally reprehensible acts” and specifies that “he has never been the subject of a criminal complaint, nor a fortiori of any criminal conviction”.

Verification in progress

“If the testimonies concerning the behavior of Darius Rochebin are confirmed, the RTS expresses its consternation and strongly condemns any breach or misconduct”, specifies the RTS in the press release. It announces that it wants to verify “all the information contained in this article, review its internal processes and take all necessary measures to improve them if necessary”.

In a message sent Saturday morning to his employees, of which Keystone-ATS has obtained a copy, the director of the channel Pascal Crittin underlines that “the acts alleged against Darius Rochebin are serious and shocking”. Regarding fake Facebook profiles, he indicates that he confronted him “with these accusations”. But there was no evidence to support those charges, according to Mr Crittin.

The publication of Le Temps’ long investigation sparked an avalanche of shocked reactions on social media. Like that of journalist Massimo Lorenzi: “Stunned, disgusted, deeply disappointed and saddened by reading Le Temps de ce jour. (…) We believe we know people because we work with them. But sometimes we make mistakes in the large widths (…) ”. On the other hand, radio silence on Darius Rochebin’s Twitter account.

In France also

The French press, which had commented on Darius Rochebin’s arrival on LC1 with great enthusiasm, largely echoed the Le Temps investigation. According to Le Parisien, “This is an article that will cause a stir at LCI owned by the TF1 group”. The French channel had not yet reacted on Saturday afternoon.

Note, however, that the program “Les Grands interviews de Darius Rochebin” scheduled Saturday between 2:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. was not broadcast, Le Temps noted. It has been replaced by another program. From Monday to Thursday, the Geneva journalist hosts “Le 20h de Darius Rochebin”.