Belgian Court Rejects France’s Extradition Request for Controversial Imam Iquioussen

France suffers a new setback. This Tuesday, November 15, 2022, the Belgian justice refused again to extradite Imam Iquioussen to France on the grounds that "the facts at the basis" ("evasion of the execution of a removal measure" "of the European arrest warrant are not constitutive of an offense under Belgian law," reports CNEWS. On November 10, Hassan Iquioussen had, at a new hearing in Belgium on the execution of the European arrest warrant (EAW) issued against him, renewed his refusal, considering that the conditions for application are not met.

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Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin had ordered the expulsion from French territory of Hassan Iquioussen, accused of holding "for years a hateful discourse against the values of France," to Morocco. A measure that had been suspended by the Paris administrative court on August 5 on the grounds that it would constitute a "disproportionate interference" with his "private and family life". The case will be brought before the Council of State. The latter examined the appeal and endorsed the expulsion of the Moroccan imam.

Since then, Hassan Iquioussen, who is registered in the FPR, the file of wanted persons, was untraceable. He is said to have taken refuge in Belgium. This information will later be confirmed. A investigating judge in Valenciennes (North) will issue an arrest warrant against the Moroccan preacher for "evasion of the execution of a removal decision". Arrested on September 30 in Mons, Belgium, Hassan Iquioussen was released then placed under electronic surveillance. The Belgian justice has meanwhile refused the extradition request made by France, which has pushed the prosecution to appeal.