Paris Court of Appeal Warns of Growing Online Attacks on Judge Youssef Badr

Youssef Badr, who serves as deputy vice-president of the Bobigny judicial tribunal, is being targeted by a wave of online hostility after Frontières, a far-right magazine, placed him on its front page. The Paris Court of Appeal’s president, Jacques Boulard, warned that the scale and continuity of these attacks across various platforms are cause for concern. While criticism of judicial decisions is protected speech, Boulard emphasized that personal attacks on a magistrate in the performance of his duties cross a line.

The harassment intensified after the conviction of Erik Tegnér, who was sentenced for leaking personal data of immigration lawyers, a case. Tegnér’s supporters, including far-right figures, accused Badr of bias and subjected him to racist and Islamophobic comments. Badr, a former justice ministry spokesperson and author, denied being politicised and said Frontières staff visited his court to demand answers about his silence.