French court jails 6 police officers for violence, racism

A court in France sentenced six police officers to prison for violence and racist insults during the arrest of an Egyptian man, local news reports said Thursday.

The officers, who uttered racist slurs and committed assault while detaining 29-year-old Samir Elgendy in Paris in April 2020, were sentenced by the Bobigny Court to terms ranging from six to 12 months.

“I am happy, justice has been done. I have been wronged, assaulted. I’m happy with this decision,” said Elgendy.

Laurent-Franck Lienard, the lawyer of one of the police officers, said they would appeal the court’s decision, adding the court did not consider any of the evidence they presented.

Meanwhile, Arie Alimi, Elgendy’s lawyer, emphasized that the court’s decision is a victory against racism and violence within the police department. (Anadolu Agency)