France using the 'terrorism' charge to silence criticism of crimes in Gaza: French lawyer

By Esra Taskin and Zehra Nur Celik

PARIS / French lawyer Rafik Chekkat said on Tuesday that the charge of “terrorist propaganda” is being used in France to silence those who speak out about crimes committed in Gaza.

French political scientist Francois Burgat, known for his work on the Arab world, was detained on July 9, 2024, in Aix-en-Provence on charges of “terrorist propaganda.” His arrest followed a complaint by the European Jewish Organization (OJE) over social media posts he shared in January 2024 about Israel’s attacks on Gaza.

“The two most commonly used charges to silence those who respond to the crimes committed in Gaza are ‘terrorist propaganda’ and ‘incitement to hatred and discrimination,’” said Chekkat, one of Burgat’s lawyers and a member of the Marseille Bar Association.

“Sometimes you are prosecuted under one charge, sometimes the other, and sometimes even both simultaneously,” he added.

Burgat was released the same day he was arrested and appeared before a judge at the Aix-en-Provence Criminal Court last week.

The prosecution has requested an eight-month suspended prison sentence, a €4,000 (about $4,550) fine, and a six-month ban on posting on X.

“Despite being an expert on terrorism-related issues, he is now being prosecuted for ‘terrorist propaganda,'” Chekkat said.

The court is expected to announce the verdict in Burgat’s case on May 28.

-’Tip of the iceberg’

Chekkat argued that Burgat’s case is part of a broader pattern of cracking down on criticism of Israel’s actions in Gaza.

Chekkat said the law regarding “terrorist propaganda” was originally designed to combat terrorist organizations’ recruitment efforts in online environments but is now “being used to suppress dissenting voices on the issue of Palestine.”

“This is just the visible tip of the oppressive iceberg. That is to say, not only are publicly known figures involved here, but also many lesser-known individuals,” he said.

“Sometimes activists, and sometimes people not affiliated with any group—even ordinary individuals—have been questioned, prosecuted, and some have even been convicted of terrorist propaganda,” he added.