A French court on Wednesday, April 9, issued a suspended sentence of eight months to a 76 -year -old man about a threat of death against the judge who condemned the extreme right -wing leader Marine Le Pen.
Last week, Le Pen gave a partially suspended prison period, a fine of 100,000 euros and an immediate prohibition that participated in the elections for five years after being convicted of a scheme under which the EU Parliament paid the attendees who were really giving life for their party. The bomb failure could crush 56 years of winning the French presidency in 2027.
A day after the sentence, Gerard B., a pensioner from the city of the Garenne-Colombes out of Paris, published an X message with a photo of a guillotine accompanied by the words: “What this dog deserves.” On Wednesday, he was declared guilty of contempt and incitement to murder. In addition to the suspended sentence, it was 3,000 euros.
The defendant, who was born in Algeria Franca in 1948 and who arrived in France at the age of 14, tried to convince the court that his message did not constitute a form of threat. The supporter of the extreme right said that the photo of the guillotine was for him “a symbol of justice, and wanted to say that some magistrates may deserve to be judged.”
Duration of the investigation, the defendant, who had no criminal record, attributed the message to “anger” and maintained that you can “say anything” on social networks.
‘In France, there are people who have cut off their heads’
“In France, there are people who have cut the heads,” said the prosecutor, in apparent reference to the teacher Samuel Paty, who was beheaded by an Islamist militant out of Paris in 2020 after showing his class cartoons of the prophet Muhammad. “Sitting at home behind your phone, in comfort, you may not be taking any risk, but it is a temptation for violent people or for those with mental health problems.”
The defense lawyer replied that “we are not dealing with a thousands of followers,” and added that “the impact of their comments is almost zero.”
At the time of the trial, the post only had 200 visits.
Since the condemnation of Le Pen, the judges who transmitted the decision have received threats. The main judge, the financial crimes expert Benedict of Perthuis, is receiving protection, including augmented patrols and regular rounds around his home.
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