Blows, insults and humiliations: The young man who had attacked Julia, a transgender woman, at the end of March in the Republic Square in Paris, was sentenced Wednesday, May 22 to 10 months in prison, four of which suspended.
Seddik A., 23 years old, on trial by the Paris Criminal Court, was sentenced for "Voluntary Violence Without Total Disability (ITT) committed on grounds of gender identity". His stay was put to the test. He is also prohibited from coming into contact with the victim and from appearing near his home.
"Justice did its job," Julia said after the hearing. "I'm not sure prison is the best solution, but I hope he'll think about it and he will not do it again."
"This trial is a symbol, because French justice today has taken into account the discriminatory nature of transphobic acts," added his lawyer Me Etienne Deshoulières.
On 31 March, at a demonstration in the capital against former Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, 31-year-old Julia was attacked near a metro station.
"Dirty homo"
"Dirty homo", beer throwing, humiliating chants, this saleswoman in a luxury shop that began her "transition" eight months ago is then targeted by a group of men. On video surveillance projected Wednesday during the hearing, we see Seddik A. touch her hair and give him several violent blows to the face.
Julia finally escaped through the metro with the help of several agents of the RATP.
Although he did not deny the violence, Seddik A. said he did not insult transgender people, saying at the hearing that he was not "homophobic".
"It is a severe sentence, which responds to the media craze around this issue," said his lawyer Me Mariame Toure.
The defendant was also sentenced to pay a fine of 3,500 euros to Julia and 1,500 euros to three associations for the defense of the rights of LGBT persons, who had lodged civil claims.
With AFP