Simon Fieschi, former Charlie Hebdo webmaster, died on Thursday, October 17, as confirmed by the Paris public prosecutor’s office and his lawyer this Saturday. Seriously wounded by bullets during the terrorist attack on the editorial offices of the satirical newspaper on January 7, 2015, he had survived the tragedy, which left 12 dead

Investigation launched to clarify the circumstances of his death

Following the discovery of his body on October 17, an inquiry was opened to determine the exact causes of his death. “No hypothesis can be favored at this stage”, said the public prosecutor, adding that an autopsy had been carried out. However, the autopsy was unable to determine the precise circumstances of the tragedy. “Investigations are continuing”, added the public prosecutor. Simon Fieschi’s lawyer, Nathalie Senyk, insisted on the need for caution. She asserted that there was no evidence to suggest a deliberate act at this stage of the investigation, and called for vigilance before any definitive conclusions were drawn.

Waves of tributes in memory of Simon Fieschi

The news of Simon Fieschi’s death prompted a number of particularly emotional reactions. The editorial staff of *Charlie Hebdo* expressed their deep sadness on social networks, paying tribute to their former colleague in the following terms: “We are devastated by the death of our friend, a funny, lively man, a tireless defender of freedom.”

Arthur Dénouveaux, president of the association for victims of the November 13, 2015 attacks, also paid tribute to Fieschi, recalling his intelligence and humanity: “Rest in peace, the world is less intelligent without you. Thoughts to his family, friends and the people at Charlie Hebdo.”

Other public figures shared their sadness, such as Juliette Méadel, former Secretary of State for Victim Support, who spoke on X (formerly Twitter) of a “feeling of powerlessness” in the face of this tragedy.

A survivor marked forever

Simon Fieschi had been the first to be hit by the terrorist attack on Charlie Hebdo in 2015. On that day, he was working in the editorial office as a webmaster. Seriously wounded, he survived, but bore the after-effects of the attack, both physically and psychologically.

Last September, he testified at the trial of jihadist Peter Cherif, on trial for his role with Chérif Kouachi, one of the perpetrators of the Charlie Hebdo attack. In it, Fieschi shared his experiences, underlining the invisible scars left by the ordeal. “That bullet didn’t miss me, but it didn’t get me,” he had declared in 2020 during the trial of the January 2015 attacks, confiding that he would live with this trauma for the rest of his life.

A community in mourning

The news of Simon Fieschi’s death has left the community of victims of terrorism in mourning. The French Association of Victims of Terrorism expressed its sorrow, recalling how hard Simon Fieschi had fought to overcome the horror of which he had been one of the victims. The grief is all the heavier because, as Arthur Dénouveaux pointed out, two suicides of victims of the 2015 attacks have taken place in recent months, although the causes of Simon Fieschi’s death are not yet known.

Simon Fieschi leaves behind the image of a courageous, resilient man, deeply attached to the values of freedom and justice.