Sketches of several accused at the trial of the January 2015 attacks -

AFP

The week has been particularly trying.

Since Monday, the specially composed Assize Court has heard the moving testimonies of the surviving victims and the relatives of those who died in the Charle Hebdo attack.

At the end of these stories, the president of the court made a point of giving the floor to the accused.

All said they were unanimously "moved" on Friday by these stories, saying "condemn" the attacks and terrorism.

“I would like to offer my condolences to the families: I was impressed by their courage and their dignity,” assured Miguel Martinez, invited by the court to speak.

A shock "

“I would like to tell the victims that they had a lot of courage to come and testify.

I hope that this trial will provide them with answers, ”said Abdelaziz Abbad, assuring that he felt a“ shock ”in the face of the images of the attack projected at the trial.

A message unanimously relayed by their co-defendants, several of whom wanted to condemn the attacks.

"I condemn what happened, the attacks of the 7th, 8th, 9th. I spit on these people, the Kouachi brothers whom I do not even know, on Amédy Coulibaly whom I thought I knew", declared Nezar Mickaël Pastor Alwatik, evoking a “shocking week”.

"I am a Muslim and I do not understand why we kill in the name of God, in the name of the prophet, I do not understand… We do not kill because we made a drawing, it does not fit in my head", a abounded Metin Karasular, visibly moved.

Civil parties "uncomfortable"

The main accused, Ali Riza Polat, for his part assured to "dissociate" with "what we do" the authors of the attacks of Charlie Hebdo, Montrouge and Hyper Cacher, which killed 17 people: "I am extremely sorry for the families, I have nothing to do with that ”.

These statements, made at the request of the president of the court after another day devoted to the testimonies of relatives of victims, aroused mixed reactions in the courtroom.

“I am very uncomfortable with what I just heard.

I can understand that the defendants want to stand out from the extremely serious facts, from the images… But the assessment of a victim's testimony bothers me, ”said Me Marie-Laure Barré, lawyer for several civil parties.

“It's not an appreciation!

"Protested defense lawyers.

In total, fourteen people are being prosecuted before the Assize Court on suspicion of varying degrees of logistical support to the perpetrators of the attacks.

Among them, three are judged by default, including Hayat Boumeddiene, Coulibaly's fleeing companion.

Justice

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January 2015 attacks: "I want to stand up to testify", Charlie Hebdo survivors tell "after"

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  • Trial of the January attacks

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