Trial against Syrian for attempted coercion against “Charlie Hebdo”
Published: Wednesday, May 29th 2024, 04:50
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The trial of a Syrian living in Switzerland begins today at the Federal Criminal Court in Bellinzona. He threatened the members of the editorial team of the satirical magazine "Charlie Hebdo" with death if they published cartoons of Mohammed. The 30-year-old has been diagnosed with a severe mental disorder and incapacity, which is why the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland is requesting inpatient therapeutic measures.
In January 2023, the accused is accused of forcing the editorial team of the satirical magazine "Charlie Hebdo" in France to refrain from publishing caricatures of the Islamic prophet Muhammad by threatening serious harm. The accused sent the messages via the contact form on the satirical magazine's website and via the social media platform Facebook.
The editor of "Charlie Hebdo" considered the threat to be very serious, as can be seen from the indictment. Not only did the threats lead to a criminal complaint being filed with the French criminal prosecution authorities, but they also had an impact on the editorial staff. Shortly after the threats by the accused became known, three employees were absent for health reasons, the indictment continues.
In January 2015, two men carried out an Islamist-motivated terrorist attack on the editorial offices of "Charlie Hebdo" in Paris. The perpetrators were shot dead by security forces at the time. The provocative Muhammad cartoons from "Charlie Hebdo" repeatedly sparked protests in Muslim countries.
©Keystone/SDA
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