France Persecutes Mosque President Over Support for Palestine

Abdourahmane Ridouane, head of the Pessac Mosque, has been convicted of “apology for terrorism” in a ruling that raises serious concerns about free expression and due process. Ridouane was accused of glorifying terrorism due to his vocal support for the Palestinian struggle against genocide, colonization, and apartheid. The conviction follows years of legal battles in which the state repeatedly sought to silence him and force his expulsion.

He received a suspended sentence and was banned from French territory for two years. Authorities are now considering his immediate deportation. Ridouane, who recently won a case to renew his residency in France, is known for his outspoken criticism of France’s neo-colonial policies in Niger, his country of origin.

In 2022, the government attempted but failed to shut down his mosque. In August 2024, he was placed in police custody and faced imminent expulsion following an order from the Ministry of the Interior. He had been under house arrest since at least June 2024 as part of a broader crackdown on Muslim activism announced in May 2024.

On October 30, French authorities rearrested him on new charges of “apology for terrorism.” Initially scheduled for release on November 5, 2024, he was set to be placed under house arrest due to deteriorating relations between France and Niger, which complicated his deportation. However, in an effort to extend his detention, the Ministry of the Interior issued a new alert on October 28, claiming additional evidence against him. This last-minute charge was seen as a legal maneuver to prolong his detention beyond the scheduled release date.

With this conviction, Ridouane now faces an uncertain future. Given the ongoing diplomatic tensions between France and Niger, his expulsion remains in limbo, and he is likely to face indefinite house arrest.

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