The prosecution had requested heavy sentences, up to and including prison time. Nine Internet users were sentenced this Thursday, October 31 by the 17th correctional chamber of Paris to penalties ranging from 500 euros fine to four months suspended prison sentence pour disclosure of the identity of suspects or racial insultreports AFP. They had revealed the names and addresses of the suspects accused of being responsible for the death of young Thomas, in Crépol, on the night of November 18 to 19or had published hate messages on the internet.
“People from a neighborhood stigmatized”
Contacted by France Bleu Drôme Ardèche, Me Violaine Vert, lawyer representing four families, reacted: “The civil parties wanted convictions to state the obvious: behind your computer, there are lives and consequences.” “The disclosure harmed our clients, but also those around themcontinues the lawyer. It stigmatized, it also pointed the finger at people in a neighborhood who had not asked for anything. This disclosure was the first step in all the harassment that followed. Disclosures of the names and first names of people, of whom we do not even know if they are involved in a case, are rarer. There still needed to be an answer.”
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Me Violaine Vert confirms to France Bleu Drôme Ardèche the deliberations for five defendants. Ages 40 to 56they appeared duringa first hearing on September 4. A man, who already had mentions on his criminal record, was ordered to pay a fine of 10 euros for 100 days. “It’s a step above a simple fine”specifies Me Vert. Another man was fined 800 euros for public insult due to his origin. The last two men to pay a fine of 1,500 euros each, for disclosing information and provoking hatred. The Internet users were also ordered to pay damages to the civil parties: 400 euros per person for moral damage and 200 euros for legal costs. A woman was also released.
Surge of hatred
On the night of November 18 to 19, 2023, a village ball in Crépol, in Drôme, located not far from Romans-sur-Isère, turned into a tragedy, with one dead and nine injured. The victim, Thomas, was 16 years old and was a member of the Roman rugby club.. His death had caused a shock wave locally and up to the national level: a minute of silence was observed in the National Assembly. Very quickly after the tragedy, photos of certain suspects – only those with North African-sounding names – had circulated on social networks, even before they were arrested by investigators. Names, first names, photos, addresses, telephone numbers, had been shared en masse, often accompanied by hate messages.
A surge of hatred ensued on social networks, with disastrous consequences for the families of the suspects. “We gave them refused housing, refused work, even refused to take their child to this or that school”, had listed one of their lawyers. Judged during two separate hearings, the 4 and September 18most of the defendants showed little or no regret: “I did not call for any violence and I am not responsible for others”, one of them said at the hearing. “I'm not racist. I had my honeymoon in Tunisia, it was not a call for hatred, I simply reposted addresses”another defended himself. Two young people in their twenties still had “recognized that their comments had gone much too far”, was satisfied by Me Violaine Vert, lawyer for four families.
The ultra-right calls for a rally on November 16
As for the investigation into Thomas' murder, fourteen people are currently being prosecuted for intentional homicide and attempted intentional homicide by an organized gang. Since last weekend, and ultra-right collective distributes leaflets calling for a rally in Romans-sur-Isère on November 16, causing concern. The association of victims of the Crépol ball has requested its postponement and the Roman left is calling for its ban.
