He fled after leaving the polling station: an inmate from Arles prison escapes after voting in the European elections

An inmate from Arles prison fled after his vote for the European elections this Sunday, June 9, 2024 (illustrative photo). Richard Villalon – BELPRESS/MAXPPP

An inmate from the Arles central prison (Bouches-du-Rhône) escaped this Sunday, June 9, 2024 after voting for the European elections.

A prisoner in the central prison of Arles, in Bouches-du-Rhône, fled after voting in the European elections on Sunday, June 9, 2024.

The prisoner “was granted supervised release permission” to exercise his civic rights, said a prison source, who specified that he fled “while leaving the polling station, when getting into the vehicle” that was supposed to take him back to prison under escort.

Investigation opened

No details have yet been communicated concerning the profile of the person who escaped. An investigation has been opened and entrusted to the Tarascon prosecutor's office (Bouches-du-Rhône), confirmed a source close to the investigation.

This escaped prisoner had been incarcerated for several years, details La Provence. He did not have the profile of a person who could have tried to escape. He was liberal by 2026, according to the daily.

The prison in Arles, in Bouches-du-Rhône, was opened in 1991. It houses prisoners sentenced to long sentences or those presenting risks.