French MEP Rima Hassan Faces Terrorism-Glorification Trial Over Gaza-Related Quote
La France Insoumise MEP Rima Hassan began a Paris trial accused of glorifying terrorism for posting a 1972 Japanese Red Army quote supporting Palestinian resistance, facing up to seven years in prison and a €100,000 fine.
Rima Hassan, a stateless Palestinian born in a Syrian refugee camp and now a French MEP for La France Insoumise, started a criminal trial in Paris on accusations of apologie du terrorisme after sharing a quote from Japanese Red Army member Kōzō Okamoto that praised Palestinian resistance. The complaint was filed by National Rally deputy Matthias Renault, interior minister Laurent Nuñez and two pro-Israel lobbying groups.
Hassan maintains the post was intended to discuss the concept of resistance, not to glorify terror, and faces a possible seven-year jail term and a €100,000 fine. This is the latest of 22 legal proceedings launched against her in two years, some of which were dismissed, and follows a prior detention that involved unfounded drug allegations. Her lawyer Vincent Brengarth and UN special rapporteurs describe the case as part of a broader campaign of judicial harassment aimed at silencing pro-Palestinian voices. The trial highlights growing concerns among scholars such as Eliza Bechtold of the University of Oxford about the expanding use of anti-terrorism statutes to curb dissent, especially in the context of the Gaza war.
Why it matters
The case illustrates how France's anti-terrorism laws are being applied to limit political speech on the Gaza conflict.
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