PARIS, France: Rima Hassan, a French-Palestinian member of the European Parliament known for her outspoken criticism of Israel, on Friday denounced “judicial harassment”, saying she was being punished for her political views.
Hassan, a 33-year-old politician from the hard-left France Unbowed (LFI) party, is an outspoken advocate for the rights of Palestinians.
She is to be tried in France in July over allegedly “promoting terrorism” in a social media post, prosecutors have said.
Hassan was born in a refugee camp near Aleppo in northern Syria before arriving in France with her family. In 2024, she became the first French-Palestinian member of the European parliament.
“I am the subject of genuine judicial and political harassment solely because of my political views,” she told a news conference at the offices of her lawyer, Vincent Brengarth.
“This pattern of harassment began as soon as I entered politics”, she said.
Her party threw its weight behind her, with LFI coordinator Manuel Bompard saying the EU lawmaker was “the target of judicial persecution”.
Since the start of the Gaza war, tensions have been high in France, a country that is home to western Europe´s largest Jewish population as well as a significant Muslim community. Hassan often draws criticism for her social media comments. Last year she was arrested in Israel for taking part in an activist aid flotilla to Gaza.
On Thursday, Hassan was detained for several hours over allegations she “promoted terrorism” in a social media post.
She is to be tried on July 7 over the comments on X last month, in which she referred to a Japanese activist who took part in a 1972 attack in Tel Aviv that killed 26 people, the prosecutor´s office said on Thursday.
Several Jewish organisations had filed a legal complaint, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said.
He dismissed Hassan´s claims she is being targeted for her political views.
“Ms. Hassan´s tweet is serious,” he said. “There is no persecution.” Prosecutors said CBD -- a drug made from the hemp plant -- and a synthetic drug called 3MMC were found in her possession while in custody.
