Two Algerian influencers are to be tried this Monday January 6 and Monday February 24 in France, one for “provocation of terrorism”, the other “public apology for an act of terrorism”. A third was arrested this Sunday for calls for violence.
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“ Don’t let anything pass “. For the third time in three days, the French Minister of the Interior Bruno Retailleau announced this Sunday the arrest of an Algerian influencer residing in France. A video of this man residing in Montpellier (Hérault) posted on the social network TikTok was the subject of a report to the courts yesterday by the mayor of Montpellier and the prefect of Hérault. “ Kill him, let him suffer », launched in particular this man nicknamed Doualemn, evoking an Algerian anti-regime demonstrator. Following these reports, the Montpellier police station was contacted “ an investigation into the charge of public and direct provocation and no follow-up to commit a crime », Specified the Montpellier public prosecutor’s office.
Friday morning, Youcef A., alias “Zazou Youssef”, was arrested in Brest (west) after having published a video the day before on the same social network in which he called for attacks in France and violence in Algeria. The 25-year-old influencer, followed by hundreds of thousands of subscribers, was placed in pre-trial detention until his trial scheduled for February 24. He faces a sentence of seven years in prison and a fine of 100,000 euros.
Youcef A. was convicted in January 2023 for theft and he also received at first instance a twelve-month prison sentence in December 2023 for “aggravated damage” in connection with the riots of June 2023 following the death of Nahel, a conviction which he appealed. This native of Mostaganem has since been subject to an Obligation to Leave French Territory (OQTF) and has been included in the Wanted Persons File (FPR).
Another Algerian influencer, known under the pseudonym “Imad Tintin”, was arrested Friday evening in Echirolles, near Grenoble (south-east), for a video calling for “ burn alive, kill and rape on French soil “. The search of his home made it possible to find the sets used for the video with more than 800,000 views. This support from Youcef A. was placed under judicial supervision in view of his trial this Monday for immediate appearance for “direct provocation to an act of terrorism” online. The 31-year-old man is also subject to an OQTF.
The two men joined “ the war waged in France by the Algerian regime » which mobilizes a number « important » of influencers calling for “ violence “, told AFP Chawki Benzehra, an Algerian opponent who took refuge in France after taking part in pro-democratic demonstrations against power in 2019. Chawki Benzehra said he filed a complaint on Friday in Lyon for threats made against him by Imad Tintin.