Béziers Mayor Faces Trial for Refusing to Marry Couple Over Immigration Status

A new twist in the case of the refusal to celebrate a marriage in Béziers. The mayor of the city was summoned on Tuesday as part of a procedure for appearance on prior admission of guilt (CRPC) to be informed of the sanction proposed by the prosecution. Robert Ménard faced up to five years in prison, a fine of 75,000 euros and a ban on standing for election, according to French media. The far-right-leaning elected official had, in advance, announced that he would "never accept" a sanction that would go "beyond" the symbolic.

At the end of his summons, he announced to the journalists present that he had rejected the "plea bargain" proposed by the Montpellier prosecutor. He will therefore be summoned at a later date before the criminal court. "I refused to plead guilty. The prosecutor told me that I will be brought before the criminal court. I am not guilty of anything, responsible for nothing. It is not me who decides to put an OQTF on this boy. It is not me who sent him back to Algeria," said Robert Ménard.

The mayor of Béziers had refused to celebrate on July 7, 2023 a marriage between a French woman, Eva, and Mustapha, 24, an Algerian national in an irregular situation, who was under an OQTF (obligation to leave French territory). On July 20 last, the young Algerian had been expelled to Algeria. The French fiancée does not intend to let go of the case. At the end of the hearing, she says she is determined "to make heard what has been done to me. I will never let go of the case." She is taking the situation very badly. "It’s very hard to get over it," she says in front of the media. What hurts her a lot is that "people are not aware of what has been done to us. They think that Mr. Ménard acted as a superhero and saved France (...), when he just ruined a family life."

Eva said that Mustapha had had a residence permit receipt. "He was not a hoodlum. We were just there to love each other and live our lives in peace," she added. The couple is trying to get married in Algeria, but they are still facing an obstacle. "It is not the Algerian authorities who are blocking us, it is the French consulate in Algeria," explained Eva. According to her, at the request of Robert Ménard, the Algerian consular representation in France is blocking their marriage. "Mr. Ménard has just requested a hearing at the French consulate in Algeria," said Eva, adding that her fiancé and she will attend this hearing without any problem.