Former anti-terrorism judge Marc Trévidic modified his position on sanctions for glorifying terrorism, which he had supported in the 2010s. This Wednesday, October 9, he expressed his reservations, affirming that the multiplication of prosecutions constitutes “a real abuse” and a “totally misused use of the law”. These comments were reported by the French daily “Libération” and published in l’Humanité.
Since the bloody attack by Hamas in Israel, reports of glorifying terrorism have increased significantly. Between October 7, 2023 and April 23, 2024, the Paris public prosecutor’s office recorded 386 referrals linked to this conflict. In comparison, the previous year, the online hate unit had handled 500 cases, all offenses combined. Trévidic criticized the harsh sentences, up to several years in prison.
Advocating terrorism, initially dealt with under press law and linked to freedom of expression, was included in common law in 2014, leading to heavier penalties. Marc Trévidic, who was then a judge, supported these changes in the face of the growing influence of Islamist sites on young people. However, he questions this legislative development, arguing that it would have been preferable to create a separate law for jihadist propaganda sites and to maintain the apology of terrorism under press law.
Trévidic emphasizes that all current courts are competent to rule on what constitutes a terrorist act, which he says is risky without dedicated specialists. This presents a danger, because determining what constitutes terrorism requires specific expertise, he added.
