Journalist Faces Death Threats After Controversial Islam Comments on French TV

In December 2018, Zineb El Rhazoui had made a statement about Islam on the CNews set. "You know what we put, what content we put today in radicalization associations? We’re going to tell radicalized people that Islam is a religion of peace and love and that you shouldn’t criticize, you shouldn’t speak ill of the prophet," she had said.

Her statements had had the effect of a bomb on social networks, provoking virulent reactions from Internet users. Several of them had threatened her with death. Among them was the young business school student who had written: "Damn! I want to put 46 bullets in her skull." His lawyer had filed a complaint.

The day after the decision, Zineb El Rhazoui affirmed: "Justice must be done, this impunity must cease." Satisfied with the verdict, the former journalist called for the authors of the threats on social networks to be made to pay out of their own pockets, adding: "Maybe that would deter them in the future from making such statements."