French prosecutors have requested jail sentences ranging from one to 16 years for eight individuals on trial for their involvement in the 2020 beheading of a school teacher by an Islamist extremist, which deeply affected France. The most severe punishment is sought for a defendant accused of aiding in preparing the murder of Samuel Paty after the teacher displayed cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed in class. Paty became a symbol of free speech to French authorities following his tragic death at the hands of Abdoullakh Anzorov, an 18-year-old of Chechen descent who was killed in a confrontation with the police.
Prosecutors reduced charges of “complicity in terrorist murder” for Anzorov’s friends, Naim Boudaoud, 22, and Azim Epsirkhanov, 23, but maintained accusations of “membership in a terrorist organization,” which could lead to a maximum of 30 years in prison. Epsirkhanov acknowledged receiving money from Anzorov to acquire a weapon, while Boudaoud is accused of accompanying Anzorov to buy items used in the attack.
The defendants are also charged with fueling the environment of hatred that led to the teacher’s brutal murder. Prosecutors are pursuing various sentences for the accused, including a 10-year term for a man who falsely accused Paty of discriminatory behavior towards Muslim students. Additionally, two individuals face up to 12 years in prison for their roles in spreading misinformation about the teacher.
The defendants are part of a network connected to Anzorov and are accused of disseminating extremist content online. Paty had used controversial cartoons in his lesson on freedom of speech, a topic that has sparked debate in France. The tragic incident occurred shortly after the republishing of the cartoons by Charlie Hebdo, an act that previously resulted in a deadly attack on the magazine.
The prosecution’s recommendations include prison sentences for the defendants, reflecting the gravity of their involvement in the events that led to the teacher’s murder.