Two men are again before the Paris Assize Court. It is this Monday, September 12, 2022 that the appeal trial of the January 2015 attacks in Paris opens. Attacks on the newspaper Charlie Hebdo, police officers and the Hyper Cacher store, which resulted in a total of 17 deaths. At the end of the first trial in December 2020, the 14 defendants had received sentences ranging from 4 years in prison to life imprisonment. Two of them, Ali Riza Polat and Amar Ramdani, both close to Amedy Coulibaly, appealed.
Ali Riza Polat was the ” right arm of the Montrouge killer and the Hyper Cacher, according to the prosecution. This Franco-Turk would have sought to obtain weapons and explosives, and would have sold a car with Amedy Coulibaly. Immediately after the attacks, he also tried to reach Syria.
At first instance, Ali Riza Polat was sentenced to 30 years in prison for complicity in crimes committed by Amedy Coulibaly and the Kouachi brothers, whom he did not know. The court found that he had played a ” essential role in preparing for attacks.
► To read also: Trial of the January 2015 attacks: Ali Riza Polat sentenced to 30 years in prison
As for Amar Ramdany, he met Amedy Coulibaly in prison. He too allegedly bought weapons for his friend and helped him sell a vehicle, which earned him a 20-year prison sentence.
Towards harsher penalties?
From the beginning, the two men say they were unaware of the terrorist’s plans. During their trial, the voluble Ali Rizat Polat repeated that he was only motivated by money, while Amar Ramdani was skilful and charming. But the court was not sensitive to their arguments.
If they are not more convincing during this second trial, they could receive harsher sentences.
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