A French court has sentenced eight individuals to prison for their roles in a hate campaign that led to the October 2020 murder of schoolteacher Samuel Paty. The sentences range from three to 16 years, with Brahim Chnina, the father of a 13-year-old schoolgirl who falsely claimed Paty had shown obscene pictures of the Prophet Muhammad, receiving the longest term.
The attack on Paty was sparked by social media posts that spread false claims about the teacher’s actions. Chechen-born radicalizer Abdoullakh Anzorov murdered Paty at a Parisian suburb school before being shot dead by police minutes later.
An investigation found that Chnina had started an online campaign against Paty, enlisting help from radical activist Abdelhakim Sefrioui and others. The court heard how the 13-year-old schoolgirl’s lie spread rapidly on social media, fueled by the false claims.
The judge ruled that the absence of foreknowledge was no defense, as the defendants’ words and actions incited violence. Seven men and a woman were found guilty, with four of them convicted for sharing messages on a radical chatline.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvgmk9ege84o