In Paris, six teenagers are on trial for their alleged involvement in the 2020 beheading of Samuel Paty, a history and geography teacher. The trial, which began Monday, is held behind closed doors at a Paris juvenile court, in accordance with French law regarding minors.
Samuel Paty was murdered near his school in a northwest Paris suburb on October 16, 2020, by an 18-year-old Chechen who had been radicalized. The attacker was later shot dead by police. The murder followed a classroom debate on free expression, during which Paty had shown caricatures of the Prophet of Islam, previously published by the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo. This action led to a backlash on social media, where Paty’s name was disclosed.
Among the defendants, a 13-year-old girl is accused of making false allegations that led to the targeting of Paty. She initially claimed Paty had singled out Muslim students during his lesson, which she later admitted was a lie. She was not present in the classroom on the day of the incident.
Five other students, aged 14 and 15 at the time, are charged with criminal conspiracy for allegedly identifying Paty to the killer and agreeing to payment in return. The investigation revealed that while the attacker knew Paty’s name and school address, he needed help to identify him personally.
Antoine Ory, the lawyer for one of the accused, stated his client regrets his actions and was unaware of the killer’s plans. The teenagers are facing potential sentences of up to two and a half years in prison. The trial is expected to conclude on December 8.
Louis Cailliez, representing Paty’s sister, Mickaëlle, expressed her desire to understand the factors leading to her brother’s murder. He emphasized the chain of events, starting from false accusations to social media visibility, that culminated in the crime.
Additionally, eight adults, including the father of the girl who made false allegations and a radical Islamic activist, will face trial separately for their roles in the events leading to Paty’s death.
This trial occurs amid heightened security in France, following a recent school attack and global tensions over the Israel-Hamas conflict, prompting the deployment of additional soldiers to enhance national security.