Lawyers and human rights groups have raised concerns over the French government’s crackdown on speech that glorifies terrorism after a series of cases rushed through the courts resulted in heavy prison sentences, including for people who had drunkenly insulted police officers, reports The Guardian.
The debate intensified this week after it emerged that an eight-year-old boy was questioned by police for saying at school “I am with the terrorists,” later admitting he didn’t know what terrorism meant.
The French justice ministry said that, between 7 January and 29 January, there had been 486 legal cases linked to the Charlie Hebdo attacks. Of these, 257 were cases of people accused of condoning or provoking terrorism. Around 41 of those cases had been instantly rushed through the courts and 18 people had been given prison sentences.
A new anti-terrorism bill which came into force last year has allowed a number of these cases to be accelerated through the courts, resulting in immediate prison sentences for the crime of “apologie du terrorisme” – in other words defending, condoning or provoking terrorism.
Amnesty International has raised concerns about some of these cases, including a man arrested for drunk-driving in the north of France who shouted at police officers: “There should be more Kouachis [the name of the gunmen brothers behind the Charlie Hebdo attack]. I hope that you’ll be next.” He was immediately brought before judges and sentenced to four years in prison.
Another man had shouted in the street, “I don’t like Charlie, they were right to do that.” A 21-year-old arrested on a tram for travelling without a ticket told the ticket inspectors: “The Kouachi brothers were just the start. I wish I’d been with them to kill more.” He was sentenced to ten months in prison.
Amnesty International warned against acting in haste and against free speech and urged “measures that protect everyone’s rights”.
The media has highlighted several cases, including a man in Isère, who a psychiatric report found had slight learning difficulties. He was sentenced to six months in prison after drunkenly shouting at police officers in the street: “They killed Charlie, I laughed.”