Affaire Samuel Paty: Mobilization in Morocco for Abdelhakim Sefrioui

Abdelilah Benkirane held this meeting at his home in Rabat, in the presence of the wife, brother and sister of Imam Abdelhakim Sefrioui. A member of the French defense team also participated remotely. The former Prime Minister stated that he knew Mr. Sefrioui personally and believed that he was a "victim of injustice".

This intervention follows the conviction of Abdelhakim Sefrioui to 15 years of criminal imprisonment by a Paris court. The French justice system found him guilty of participating in a terrorist organization, considering that he had led a digital campaign that contributed to the assassination of teacher Samuel Paty.

The context of the Samuel Paty affair

The case dates back to October 2020. Samuel Paty, a 47-year-old teacher, had been assassinated by a young Chechen after showing a caricature of the Prophet Mohammed during a class.

This event had provoked strong indignation among some parents and activists, leading to a series of online hate calls. Although Abdelhakim Sefrioui claimed his innocence and denied any involvement in the crime, the court ruled that his role had been "central in the chain of incitement that led to the tragedy", even though he was not a direct actor in the attack.