French ‘persecution’ of pro-Palestine mosque president sees ‘wrongful’ conviction

In what a leading legal advocacy group has called a “glaring miscarriage of justice”, the head of the Pessac Mosque in the French commune of Meaux, has been “wrongfully convicted” of terror apology in violation of free expression and due process.

CAGE has reported that Abdourahmane Ridouane was accused of glorifying terrorism based on his support for the Palestinian struggle against genocide, colonisation and apartheid. “The ruling comes after years of legal battles during which the State relentlessly tried to silence Ridouane and force his expulsion from France,” explained the advocacy group. “He received a suspended sentence and was banned from national territory for two years. As a result, the State is looking into his immediate deportation.”

Ridouane, who recently won a case to renew his residency in France, is known for his outspoken support for Palestine and his criticism of France’s neo-colonial policies in Niger, his country of origin.

In 2022, said CAGE, the State attempted, but failed, to shut down the mosque led by Ridouane. In August 2024, he was placed under police custody and faced imminent expulsion following an order from the Ministry of the Interior. “He has been under house arrest since at least June 2024. Moreover, this harsh measure was part of a broader crackdown on Muslim activism announced in May 2024.”

Ridouane was rearrested by the French authorities on 30 October last year under new charges of “apology for terrorism.” Initially, he was scheduled for release on 5 November, at which point he was to be placed under house arrest due to the French government’s deteriorating relations with Niger, which hampered his forced deportation.

“With this conviction, Ridouane now faces a difficult and unpredictable future,” said CAGE. “As the diplomatic relationship between Niger and France seems to remain unstable, his expulsion remains on hold, and he is likely to face indefinite house arrest.”

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