Karim Benzema filed a defamation complaint against Gérard Darmanin who accuses him of “notorious links” with the Muslim Brotherhood
|La plainte a été déposée pour diffamation auprès de la Cour de justice de la République. ILLUSTRATION MAXPPP
Karim Benzema filed a complaint this Tuesday, January 16, for defamation against the Minister of the Interior Gérald Darmanin, who had claimed that the ex-Real Madrid star had "notorious" with the Islamist organization of the Muslim Brotherhood, according to the complaint revealed by RTL.
The former Blues striker and 2022 Ballon d'or winner was targeted by Gérald Darmanin after publishing a message of support on X (formerly Twitter) in mid-October to the inhabitants of Gaza, victims, according to him, of "unjust bombings" carried out by Israel in retaliation for the bloody Hamas attack of October 7.
The Minister of the Interior had argued that this position could be explained by Karim Benzema's links with the Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamist organization born in Egypt, where it is considered “terrorist”. ;quot;.
"Karim Benzema is notoriously linked, as we all know, with the Muslim Brotherhood", he said on the channel CNews< /em>, sparking a storm on social media.
"Instrumentalized in political games"
The complaint, filed by Me Hugues Vigier, targets these comments, which "infringe" to his honor and consideration. It was filed before the Court of Justice of the Republic (CJR), the only court authorized to prosecute and judge members of the government for offenses committed in the exercise of their functions.
In his complaint, Karim Benzema, who today plays in the Saudi club Al-Ittihad and displays his Muslim faith, reaffirms "never had the slightest link with the' organization of the Muslim Brotherhood nor to (his) acquaintance with anyone who claims to be one.
"I measure the extent to which I am, because of my notoriety, used in political games that are all the more scandalous since the dramatic events since October 7 deserve something entirely different “that this type of declaration,” he adds.
"Slow drift of Karim Benzema's positions towards a hard Islam"
Contacted by AFP in October, the minister's entourage had invoked a “slow drift of Karim Benzema's positions towards a hard, rigorous, characteristic Islam of the "Brotherhood" ideology. He also recalled Karim Benzema's refusal to sing the national anthem when he played in the colors of France or his "proselytism on social networks".
The player is considered one of the best strikers of his generation but has had a turbulent history with the Blues. Complaints addressed to the CJR are filtered by a complaints commission, which can classify them or transmit them to an investigating commission. At the end of the investigation, this commission decides on a dismissal of the case or a referral for trial.