French far-right politician indicted for defamation over comments about Muslim group

​​​​​​​By Necva Tastan Sevinc

ISTANBUL (AA) - French far-right Member of the European Parliament, Marion Marechal, was indicted Tuesday for defamation following her accusations against the "Valeurs et Reussite" Muslim group behind a planned Muslim school in Valence, Francebleu broadcaster reported.

The indictment was issued after Marechal claimed on CNews that "Valeurs et Reussite," which means “Values and Success,” was linked to the Islamist movement known as the Muslim Brotherhood.

During her remarks in October, she alleged that the group had the same goal as the Daesh and Al-Qaeda terror organizations, namely "to impose Sharia law worldwide."

Marechal later reiterated the claims on social media, further amplifying her allegations.

The far-right politician is set to stand trial at the Valence Criminal Court, where she faces a potential fine of up to €12,000 ($13,000), if found guilty.

Jean-Yves Dupriez, a lawyer representing "Valeurs et Reussite," welcomed the legal proceedings against Marechal, emphasizing the broader significance of the case.

"This trial should have important repercussions on how individuals can be publicly accused of being affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood or having links to terrorism," he said.​​​​​​​