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French president rejects Fillon's allegations of bias in justice system

Xinhua, March 2, 2017 Adjust font size:

French President Francois Hollande on Wednesday rejected allegations of bias in the country's justice system made by scandal-hit presidential candidate Francois Fillon who has been summoned to appear before a judge later this month.

"As guarantor of the independence of the judicial authorities, I want to speak out against any calling into question of the judges," Hollande said in a statement.

"Being a presidential candidate doesn't authorize you to cast suspicion on the work of police and judges, create a climate of a defiance inconsistent with responsibility spirit or to make extremely serious accusations against the justice system and our institutions more broadly," he said.

During a press conference earlier on Wednesday, Fillon denounced "bias" in judicial system in relation to investigation into the allegedly fake jobs he gave to his wife and children.

"From the beginning, I have not been treated like anyone else facing the justice system," he said.

Cornered by a legal inquiry which threw his campaign out of track, the former prime minister called on supporters to resist the "political assassination."

Defying calls to quit the race, the embattled conservative nominee stressed to fight "to the end," and announced that he will appear before investigating magistrates on March 15.

The so called "PenelopeGate," dated back on Jan. 25 after French satirical weekly Le Canard Enchaine reported that Fillon had paid his wife and two of his five children about one million euros (1.05 million U.S. dollars) for their jobs as parliamentary assistants. However, there was no evidence indicating Fillon's wife had really worked, the report added. Endit