Abdourahmane Ridouane, president of the Pessac mosque, in Gironde and accused of advocating terrorism, will finally be judged on January 13, 2025. Placed under judicial supervision, he should be released on November 6 from the administrative detention center where he had been placed . He remains under an obligation to leave the territory.
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Abdourahmane Ridouane is the Nigerien president of the Al Farouk mosque in Pessac in Gironde, of Salafist persuasion. Under an Obligation to Leave French Territory (OQTF) since last August, he will be released on November 6, at the end of the legal administrative detention period of 90 days. Abdourahmane Ridouane was detained in an Administrative Detention Center (CRA) in Seine-et-Marne.
At the same time, the imam was to be tried immediately for “apology of terrorism” at the Meaux criminal court, this Monday, November 4. His lawyer, Me Sefen Guez Guez, indicates on his the territory.
The authorities criticize him for comments or positions accusing France of practicing a “State Islamophobia“. He would also have “justified terrorist acts” et “provoked discrimination or hatred towards Western countries, the State of Israel as well as all people of the Jewish religion. But also messages “legitimizing” the Hamas attack against Israel, October 7, 2023or in memory of its former political leader after his assassination at the end of July in Tehran.
The imam had filed several appeals with the administrative court and the Council of State, which were rejected.
On October 30, Abdourahmane Ridouane was placed in police custody for “apology of terrorism”, according to the Minister of the Interior Mr. Retailleau. According to a police source, Mr. Ridouane was placed in police custody at the request of the Meaux public prosecutor’s office, “following a report from the Minister of the Interior reporting the broadcast of several videos and the publication of messages on social networks which could constitute the offense of glorifying terrorism.
The prosecution had requested in vain on Friday, pending the hearing, a placement in pre-trial detention. Me Sefen Guez Guez, contacted by the AFP, denounces “a misuse of procedure“, pointing out that the facts alleged against his client have been known for a long time, including the message relating to Ismaïl Haniyeh at the end of July. One week before his release from the CRA, his lawyer denounces a “gag procedure based on remarks dating back several months”.
Between now and January 13, the court has placed Abdourahmane Ridouane under judicial supervision. He is required to report to the Pessac police station once a week with a ban on leaving French territory, despite his OQTF. The two procedures, administrative and judicial, therefore contradict each other.
We do not know, for the moment, whether or not the president of the Al Farouk mosque in Pessac will be placed under house arrest. Lat the prefecture de Gironde indicated that it would communicate on November 6 on this matter.
