A Malaysian court has acquitted and ordered the release of Tom Félix, a 34-year-old French national who had been imprisoned for over 21 months facing potential death penalty charges for drug possession and trafficking.
Court Finds Insufficient Evidence
Judge Evawani Farisyta Mohamma of the Alor Setar High Court ruled on Tuesday that the prosecution failed to establish guilt. “In this case, the court did not succeed in establishing proof of guilt… the accused is therefore acquitted and released,” the judge stated. Félix is expected to regain his freedom imminently after final administrative procedures.
Harsh Prison Conditions Revealed
Félix had been detained in a remote prison in Perlis state since August 2023, consistently maintaining his innocence. His mother, Sylvie Félix, previously described inhumane conditions to Le Monde, revealing he shared a cell with 37 other inmates, slept on yoga mats on concrete without fans, and had only a hole for a toilet and a pipe for washing.
Case Background and Investigation Flaws
The former Veolia project manager, who holds degrees in aquaculture and marine biology, had invested €40,000 in a planned restaurant on Langkawi island. Police raided the shared house of his Malaysian business partner in August 2023, discovering cannabis in common areas. While Félix, his partner, and the partner’s ex-wife were arrested, DNA analysis never implicated Félix, and his co-accused admitted to receiving the drug packages.
International Support and Diplomatic Efforts
The case drew significant attention, with a “Free Tom Félix” support committee campaigning in France. French consular officials made regular visits, and the case was raised at the highest levels:
- Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot met with Félix’s parents in March 2025
- Ambassador Axel Cruau received them in Kuala Lumpur in May
- President Emmanuel Macron discussed the case with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim at the G20 in November 2024
Relief and Reactions
“We are very happy, relieved. This is the end of a nightmare,” Sylvie Félix told AFP outside the court. President Macron expressed his “immense relief” on social media, offering “particular thoughts for his parents, whom I had met, who never stopped believing and who will now be reunited with their son.”
Félix’s French lawyer, François Zimeray, stated: “I am very happy. This is the end of a very long nightmare, for Tom who lived through the hell of an unjust accusation and unworthy detention, and for his family who held firm against the temptation of despair.”
