6 teenagers on trial for allegedly beheading French teacher Samuel Paty in 2020

As reported by PTI, the victim, Samuel Paty, a history and geography teacher, was killed on October 16, 2020, near his school in a northwest Paris suburb. The assailant, an 18-year-old of Chechen origin who had been radicalized, was subsequently shot dead by the police.

This incident prompted French authorities to reaffirm the country’s commitment to freedom of expression and secular values.

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PTI reported, Paty’s name was disclosed on social media after a class debate on free expression during which he showed caricatures published by the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo, which triggered a newsroom massacre by extremists in January 2015.

All hearings at a Paris juvenile court are to be held without media in accordance with French law regarding minors.

Also Read: A history teacher beheaded in France after showing Mohammed cartoons

Among those going on trial, a teenage girl, who was 13 at the time, is accused of making false allegations for wrongly saying that Paty had asked Muslim students to raise their hands and leave the classroom before he showed the cartoons. She later told investigators she had lied. She was not in the classroom that day and Paty did not make such a request, the investigation has shown.

Five other students of Paty’s school, then 14 and 15, are facing charges of criminal conspiracy with the aim of preparing aggravated violence to be committed.

Also Read: French police make arrests after teacher beheaded in Paris suburb

They are accused of having waited for Paty for several hours until he left the school and of having identified him to the killer in exchange for promises of payments of 300-350 euros ($348-$406).

The investigation established that the attacker knew the name of the teacher and the address of his school, but he did not have the means to identify him.

All six teenagers are facing 2 1/2-year in prison. The trial is scheduled to end on Dec 8.

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Eight other adults are to be sent to trial later. They include the father of the teenage girl charged with false allegations. At the time, he had posted videos on social media that called for mobilisation against the teacher.

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A radical Islamic activist, involved in spreading the extremist messages that targeted Samuel Paty, has also been charged. The trial occurs six weeks after a teacher was fatally stabbed, and three others were injured in a school attack by a former student suspected of Islamic radicalization.

Also Read: Knife attack at French church: Woman beheaded, 2 killed; cops detain attacker

This incident, set against global tensions surrounding the Israel-Hamas conflict, prompted French authorities to deploy an additional 7,000 soldiers nationwide to enhance security and vigilance, PTI reported.

(With inputs from PTI)

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Updated: 27 Nov 2023, 01:56 PM IST