French MP Caron doubles down on Gaza support despite slander, threats
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French MP Aymeric Caron underlines that he staunchly supports Gaza once again despite receiving countless threats and being subjected to slander.
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Far-left lawmaker Aymeric Caron at the National Assembly, Monday, Feb. 6, 2023, in Paris (AP)
French National Assembly Member Aymeric Caron said Thursday he would continue voicing support for the people of occupied Palestine despite all that he has been subjected to in a bid to deter him from backing the cause.
"For months, my commitment to respecting Palestinian rights has earned me many insults, slander, and threats. With my lawyers, we have decided to put an end to the impunity of those who think they can do anything," Caron wrote in a post on X.
"The condemnations are starting to come down," he said, referring to court decisions being made against offenders.
"Yesterday, a 40-year-old father of four living in Levallois who had seriously threatened and insulted me was sentenced by the Paris Correctional Court to a fine of 400 euros, an obligation to complete a training course on combating online hate, as well as to pay 1,500 euros in damages and 500 euros in legal fees," the French MP revealed.
He also addressed an older case, saying a Parisian real estate agent who had threatened him was sentenced to 4 months in suspended prison, which was topped with a fine of 2,000 euros.
Caron underlined that there were also numerous complaints pending against political figures. "No longer let anything go by. Refuse to be threatened with your family. Refuse to be insulted, called a supporter of terrorism, a spokesperson for Hamas, an anti-Semite, and other infamies," he went on to stress.
"Refuse to be intimidated," Caron concluded.
As the French judiciary is dealing with issues on the domestic front, it was also tasked with dealing with a French citizen who partook in torturing Palestinians in occupied Palestine.
French citizen involved in war crimes
MP Thomas Portes initiated legal proceedings concerning a Franco-Israeli individual suspected of potential involvement in acts of torture within the Gaza Strip, reported Mediapart, an independent French investigative online newspaper.
This case underscores growing concerns that individuals holding dual nationality and serving in the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) might be implicated in actions constituting war crimes.
The report referred to a widely circulated forty-five-second video depicting five soldiers in Israeli uniforms, with some wearing hoods, humiliating Palestinians. In the video, a French man serving in the Israeli military has released footage showing blindfolded and tied up Palestinians who were abducted by the IOF, while gloating over their torture.
In the video, he is heard cursing at the Palestinian prisoners, using derogatory language, and mocking their torture. He specifically mocked a prisoner who had urinated himself while tied up, laughing at him.
A #French man serving in the Israeli military has released footage showing blindfolded and tied up #Palestinians who were kidnapped by the IOF, while gloating over their torture.
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) March 19, 2024
In the video, he is heard cursing at the Palestinian prisoners, using derogatory language, and… pic.twitter.com/LOLKhufBb6
The French judiciary may soon investigate this matter, as MP Portes, from the La France Insoumise (LFI) party, has referred it to the public prosecutor in Paris and the National Public Prosecutor's Office for Counterterrorism (which includes a special unit dedicated to crimes against humanity), Mediapart added.
Portes further noted in his referral that he draws the attention of the judicial system to the possibility of "complicity in war crimes and acts of torture" confirmed by the published video clip, and calls on the judicial system to investigate, as per the report.
