On Tuesday, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) validated the conviction of former presidential candidate Eric Zemmour for incitement to discrimination and religious hatred towards the Muslim community, after remarks made on France 5 in 2016 "The Court considers that the interference with the exercise by the applicant of his right to freedom of expression was necessary in a democratic society in order to protect the rights of others", details the ECHR.

The latter believes that French justice has not flouted the freedom of expression of the far-right polemicist.

3,000 euros fine on appeal

Already sentenced for similar acts, the former journalist from Le Figaro had made these remarks on September 16, 2016, in the program "C à vous" broadcast live at 7 p.m. on France 5 as part of the promotion of his book entitled “A five-year term for nothing”.

The writer had notably considered that Muslims should be given "the choice between Islam and France" and that France had been living "for thirty years under an invasion", affirming that "in countless French suburbs where many young girls are veiled” was playing out a “struggle to Islamize a territory”, “a jihad”.

He had been sentenced at first instance by the Paris Criminal Court to a fine of 5,000 euros for "incitement to discrimination, hatred or violence against a group of people because of their origin or their affiliation to a religion.

The sentence was reduced to 3,000 euros on appeal, before the Court of Cassation then dismissed his appeal.



The judicial body of the Council of Europe, "considers that these remarks were not limited to a criticism of Islam but included, given the context of terrorist attacks in which they took place, a discriminatory intention to nature to call listeners to the rejection and exclusion of the Muslim community”.

For the ECHR, "taking into account the State's margin of appreciation in this case, and the applicant's order to pay a fine of 3,000 euros which is not excessive, the Court is convinced that the disputed interference (in Eric Zemmour's right to freedom of expression, editor's note) was proportionate to the aim pursued”.

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