French Imam Arrested in Deportation Process
8 August 2024, 12:11 PM
An imam from the Al Farouk Mosque in Pessac, near Bordeaux, was arrested on Thursday as part of a deportation process. The imam, Abdourahmane Ridouane, is accused of disseminating anti-Semitic and hateful content online.
Ridouane, who is described as being of Salafist obedience, was arrested at his home around 6:30 AM by police. His lawyer, Me Sefen Guez Guez, confirmed the arrest.
The arrest came following a ministerial order that accused Ridouane of publishing “opinions against the values and institutions of the French Nation” on social media. The order also cited “publications with anti-Semitic and hateful content towards Israel and the Jews.”
These publications allegedly included a sculpture depicting Hamas as a “Self-Defense” movement and calling for its destruction.
Ridouane’s lawyer criticized the new deportation procedure, claiming it was based on the opinions of the justice and administrative courts rather than on legal grounds. He also accused the government of working too quickly, making it impossible for the court to properly assess the case.
This arrest follows a previous closure of the Pessac Mosque in 2022 due to social media publications deemed offensive.