Eric Zemmour to Appeal Hate Speech Conviction to European Court of Human Rights

The conviction of commentator Éric Zemmour follows the confirmation of the Court of Appeal’s ruling on September 17. Indeed, the Court of Appeal’s ruling stated that his remarks were an implicit incitement to hatred.

This is how the French justice system had convicted him to a 3,000 euro fine for incitement to religious hatred after his appearance on the show "C à vous", broadcast on France 5, on September 6, 2016.

During his intervention on the set, this divisive figure called on Muslims to make a choice "between Islam and France".

Similarly, he had implied that France had been experiencing "an invasion for thirty years" and that "in countless French suburbs where many young girls are veiled", there was a "struggle to Islamize a territory", "a jihad".

For his lawyer, "the decision to convict Zemmour infringes on freedom of expression and constitutes an infringement of the right to a fair trial". "Our appeal raises the following question: is France still allowing anyone to be a commentator?" he wondered.