French-Palestinian MEP Rima Hassan to be tried for 'advocating terrorism' in X submit

[ad_1] Rima Hassan, a French far-left member of the European Parliament, will face trial in July over a remark she posted on X final month about a Seventies assault on an Israeli airport, the Paris prosecutor's workplace stated late on Thursday.

Authorities arrested Hassan and detained her in custody for a number of hours on Thursday as a result of they suspected the submit made on March 26 and later erased may very well be construed as displaying help for terrorism.

"On the finish of her custody, Rima Hassan was given a summons to look earlier than the legal court docket on July 7, 2026, to be tried on fees of advocating terrorism dedicated on-line," the workplace stated in an emailed assertion.

Hassan's message was associated to the 1972 assault by the Japanese Purple Military far-left militant group at Lod airport in Tel Aviv, leading to 26 deaths.

Within the submit, Hassan had quoted on her X account a remark made by a person who was convicted for the assault and sought to justify it by citing what he stated was the oppression of individuals within the Palestinian territories.

The offence of on-line "terrorism apology" is punishable by as much as a seven-year jail time period and a high-quality of as much as €100,000 ($115,290).

The Worldwide League In opposition to Racism and Anti-Semitism and the European Jewish Group had lodged complaints towards the submit.

After her launch, Hassan and her lawyer, Vincent Brengarth, stated in separate posts on X that they'd solely touch upon the method in a press convention on Friday afternoon.

Born in Syria, Hassan, 33, is of Palestinian descent and is a vocal pro-Palestinian activist and a fierce critic of Israel. Hassan was detained in Israel final yr after Israeli safety forces intercepted a Gaza-bound assist boat, which was a part of a flotilla attempting to interrupt the blockade on the besieged Palestinian territory. Hassan and three different French nationals on board the boat have been later expelled by Israel.

Learn extra Israel to expel French 'Freedom Flotilla' activists, MEP Rima Hassan held in solitary confinement

Hassan was elected to the European Parliament in 2024 for the French far-left France Unbowed (LFI) social gathering. Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the social gathering's founder, stated the proceedings towards Hassan have been politically motivated.

Inside Minister Laurent Nunez dismissed the accusation.

"There are guidelines to be revered. Advocating terrorism is a really severe offence," he stated on TV station BFMTV.

The prosecutor's workplace has stated that Hassan is the topic of six different investigations into potential hate speech whereas 16 others have been shelved.

The assertion additionally stated police discovered cannabidiol, or CBD, and a substance that gave the impression to be a designer drug 3-MMC in her possession. These will be handled individually.