Rima Hassan summoned by the police: Europeans, “apology of terrorism”… we summarize the case for you in three questions

Rima Hassan, candidate of rebellious France for the European elections, received a summons for advocating terrorism on April 19, 2024. We summarize the case for you in three questions.

The European candidate is at the heart of a vast controversy. Rima Hassan, member of France Insoumise, is the subject of a summons for "apology of terrorism", due to comments made online.

Who is Rima Hassan ?

Rima Hassan is an international law lawyer born in a camp in Syria in 1992. Specializing in the issue of refugees, she has long made the defense of their rights and their security a priority before joining LFI.

In March, Manon Aubry unveiled her list with, in seventh place, the name of Rima Hassan. Since then, its popularity has exploded. Speeches in the media, visit to Montpellier, party meeting… she took her place as the new candidate in the European elections.

However, this place on the list is a priori eligible, note France Info. Something that opponents from the majority or the extreme right have pointed out, criticizing this attribution.

What is this summons??

Friday, Le Monde revealed that the candidate was going to be heard on April 30 for comments made between November and December, in line.

The letter received explains that she will be summoned "in order to be heard freely on facts of public apology of’ an act of terrorism, committed by means of an online public communication service". She said she was ready to cooperate.

Several controversial statements could be the subject of investigators' attention. For the moment, the remarks for which she will be summoned have not been specified. We can think of the fact that she would have answered "True" to the assertion "Hamas is taking legitimate action" on Le Crayon. But also to his many speeches, defending the idea of ​​a Palestinian state and castigating the numerous attacks by Israel on areas where civilians live in Gaza.

How does she defend herself?

Rima Hassan denounces "political pressure aimed at compromising her freedom of expression". Her lawyer, Vincent Brengarth, is stunned: "[The summons] criminalizes the expressions of Rima Hassan alerting to the urgency of the situation in Gaza. Everyone sees clearly that she intervenes in the middle of the electoral campaign and that she aims to weaken Rima Hassan, in a context of multiple pressures."

La France insoumise gave its support to the candidate: "Contrary to the comments attributed to her, Rima Hassan NEVER said that the actions of October 7 were legitimate." Believing furthermore that this summons is "an attempt to intimidate and criminalize all the voices that are raised in the face of the ongoing massacres in Gaza& quot;.