Henri Leclerc dies at the age of 90: lawyer and human rights activist dies of stroke

The famous lawyer Henri Leclerc, a figure of the Paris bar, died this Saturday, August 31, 2024. The former president of the Human Rights League was 90 years old.

Henri Leclerc, lawyer and tireless defender of human rights, died Saturday in Villejuif (Val-de-Marne) at the age of 90, his daughter, Aline Leclerc, announced to AFP.

Henri Leclerc, who pleaded in particular for the defense of François Besse, Richard Roman and Jacques Viguier, died “Saturday at the Paul-Brousse hospital in Villejuif following a stroke”, his daughter said.

Like many other lawyers on Saturday night on X, the former figure of the bar and resigned Minister of Justice Eric Dupond-Moretti paid tribute to his memory: “Dear Henri, you often said 'if there was only one left, I would be that one'. With your passing, we lose a tireless defender of freedoms whose commitment and talent will have marked the bar and all of our justice. I extend my heartfelt condolences to his loved ones."

A reference among his peers

For 65 years, Henri Leclerc, son of a tax official and grandson of schoolteachers, pleaded with the same passion major criminal cases and all social causes, establishing himself as a reference among his peers.

His legal pedigree is impressive: he pleaded for the defense of Charlie Bauer and François Besse – two lieutenants of Mesrine – Florence Rey, Richard Roman, Hélène Castel, Jacques Viguier, Véronique Courjault, Dominique de Villepin in the Clearstream affair. He intervened as a civil party in the Omar Raddad affair, defended Dominique Strauss-Kahn in the Carlton affair in Lille.

But when Henri Leclerc started out in the profession, his political commitment led him to other battles “firmly left” : from 1956, in the middle of the Algerian War where he himself was sent to serve, he defended FLN and MNA (Algerian National Movement) activists.

After them came the students of May 68 – he is notably the lawyer of Cohn-Bendit, Geismar, Sauvageot-, the miners of the North, the Breton fishermen, the peasants in struggle, the newspaper Libération founded by Jean-Paul Sartre… Henri Leclerc, massive silhouette and bushy eyebrows, becomes the lawyer of all social causes.

From 1995 to 2000, he chaired the French branch of the Human Rights League, and was still its honorary president. He delivered his final plea in December 2020 before the 1st civil chamber of the Paris court.