Karim Benzema’s lawyer, Me Hugues Vigier, announced Thursday October 19 that Karim Benzema was going to file a complaint against the French Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, for “false information” and is considering another complaint for “public insult” . In recent statements, Gérald Darmanin had linked Benzema to the Muslim Brotherhood.
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The former Blues striker and 2022 Ballon d’or winner was targeted by Gérald Darmanin after publishing on Sunday October 15 on X (formerly Twitter) a message of support for the inhabitants of Gaza, victims, according to him, of ” unjust bombings » carried out by Israel in retaliation for the bloody Hamas attack of October 7. “ All our prayers for the inhabitants of Gaza, victims once again of these unjust bombings which spare no women or children », wrote Karim Benzema, a publication “liked” by 600,000 people.
All our prayers for the inhabitants of Gaza who are once again victims of these unjust bombings which spare no women or children.
— Karim Benzema (@Benzema) October 15, 2023
According to the French Minister of the Interior, this position can be explained by Karim Benzema’s links with the Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamist organization born in Egypt where it is considered “terrorist”.
“ Karim Benzema has no direct or distant links with the Muslim Brotherhood »
“ Karim Benzema is notoriously linked to the Muslim Brotherhood », Mr. Darmanin said on Monday on the CNews channel, triggering a storm on social networks.
Karim Benzema, who today plays in the Saudi club Al-Ittihad and displays his Muslim faith, did not react directly, but let his lawyer take the lead. “ Karim Benzema has no direct or distant links with the Muslim Brotherhood », declared Me Hubert Vigier on RMC radio. The lawyer also ruled “ unimaginable » that the Minister of the Interior be “ capable of making such remarks, obviously, without any verification “.
The minister’s entourage invoked a ” slow drift of Karim Benzema’s positions towards a hard, rigorous Islam, characteristic of Brotherhood ideology “. He also recalled Karim Benzema’s refusal to sing the national anthem when he played in the colors of France or his ” proselytizing on social media “. According to Me Vigier, these accusations show above all that it is still Karim Benzema who “ we demand accountability “.
“ Loss of nationality » for Senator LR Valérie Boyer
On Wednesday, Senator LR Valérie Boyer asked, if the accusations of the Minister of the Interior were proven, the “ deprivation of nationality » for Karim Benzema. “ Karim Benzema is French, he does not have dual nationality, he never requested nor wanted to have Algerian nationalityrecalled Me Hugues Vigier. Considering the loss of nationality for native nationals, if we go back in history, it’s Nazi Germany! »
The lawyer of the former Blues striker also accuses politics Nadine Morano and publicist Frank Tapiro “ for having caused a profound and unbearable attack on his honor ». European MP Nadine Morano described Karim Benzema on Europe 1 on Monday as “ Hamas propaganda element ». Frank Tapiro also criticized the publication of Karim Benzema, Monday October 16 on the Israeli channel i24NEWS, denouncing a “ tribute to variable geometry ». “ Where are the French hostages, where are the victims of the heinous attack last Saturday? “, said Frank Tapiro. “ He is complicit in terrorism, and he is a collaborator. »