Expulsion of imam Mahjoubi from Bagnols-sur-Cèze: the damning conclusions of the Paris administrative court

Imam Mahjoubi was deported on February 22 to Tunisia. Midi Free – CECILE BODARWE

"Attack on the fundamental interests of the State", "deliberate incitement to discrimination or hatred" : seized in summary proceedings by the imam's lawyer, the Parisian court validated in particular detail the absolute emergency expulsion to Tunisia of the religious leader, based on a note intelligence services on sermons delivered in February 2024 at the Ettaouba mosque.

A discourse "systematic on the inferiority of women, presented as weak and venal", a "praise of sharia", acts of "explicit and deliberate provocation to hatred or violence against the Jews", remarks "inciting terrorism by apologizing for jihad" : here are the main arguments retained on Monday March 4 by the summary judge of the Paris administrative court, who rejected the appeal presented by imam Mahjoub Mahjoubi of Bagnols-sur-Cèze against his expulsion on February 22 to Tunisia.

A detailed note from the intelligence services

To make his decision, the judge listened to the arguments of the imam's lawyer, Me Hamroun, who considers that "the reproached remarks do not constitute a serious threat to public order". But he also went through a note from the intelligence services, provided by the Ministry of the Interior, "containing several extracts from sermons delivered within the Ettaouba mosque in Bagnols-sur-Cèze on February 2, 9 and 16, 2024", which are not limited to the declarations which had triggered the controversy, on the tricolor flags described as "satanic", in the context of the Coupe d& #39;African football nations.

A literal appreciation of the words attributed to Muhammad 

In these sermons, Imam Mahjoubi claims to quote only words attributed to Mohammed, "what the white note, precise and detailed", contradicted, indicates the judge. "The interested party makes a literal assessment of them, without recalling their symbolic value" and uses it to reject the values ​​and symbols of the Republic, "to oppose Muslims and non-Muslims, to incite hatred towards Jews and Israel or advocating jihad and sharia."

"We're going to have to shake up society"

The imam thus criticizes the work of women, and the attitude of men who accept that they have a job. "We don't send our wives to push men around, to push men so that in the end they bring us 1200-1300 €. Go to work, you! And leave her at home, and she will educate your children! We're going to have to shake up society! This bellicose, rotten society!"

The episode of the tricolor flags, to which the imam attributes a "satanic value" is also put into perspective. "The person concerned argues that he was not targeting the French flag, but the flags of Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia' quot; notes the judge. "His explanations appear hardly credible since the flags of Morocco and Tunisia are not tricolor."

According to the judge, the imam presents Jews in other sermons "as allies of the Antichrist who must be fought", advocates "l&#39 ;elimination of non-Muslims", and suggests that "redemption could come through participation in combat" .

An influential figure within the Muslim community

Upon arrival, the summary judge considers that he is faced with "acts likely to harm fundamental interests of the State", to "acts of explicit and deliberate provocation to discrimination or hatred against a person or group of people", which are "likely to found the decision of absolute emergency expulsion of Mr. Mahjoubi, an influential figure within the Muslim community in the department of Gard.&quot ;

Other administrative appeals, however, remain possible for the imam, beyond this first summary procedure.

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