Man Sentenced to 3 Years for Death Threats Against Teen Critic of Islam

The facts date back to September 13, 2020. A 23-year-old man from Gers, known to the justice system, had threatened to kill Mila, a high school student from Isère who had strongly criticized Islam in a video posted on Instagram. The young man had made his threats in a video, filmed on September 13, 2020, in which he was holding a butcher’s knife. He will be arrested at his home in Riscle. During his appearance before the Auch Correctional Court, the defendant was sentenced to 3 years in prison, including 18 months in prison, before being incarcerated.

His lawyer had appealed. At the appeal trial, the judgment handed down at first instance was confirmed on January 28. The Agen Court of Appeal also ordered the defendant to pay Mila’s mother, in her capacity as legal representative, 1,000 euros for her legal costs. During the appeal hearing, the prosecution had requested 10 months of actual imprisonment on January 21.

Mila’s Gers lawyer, Éric Mathias, believes that this case goes far beyond simple death threats and was a debate on freedom of expression. For her part, Sylvie Brussiau-Constant, the defense lawyer, explained that her client, diagnosed as mentally deficient, was not aware of "all the ins and outs" of the threats he had made. "I don’t think he knows what Daesh is, he did it to get attention and be noticed," she added.