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Franco-Algerian Influencer Sofia Benlemmane Sentenced for Death Threats

The Lyon court handed Benlemmane a nine-month suspended prison term for issuing hate-filled threats online, highlighting ongoing tensions between France and Algeria.

Âgée de 54 ans, cette ancienne joueuse de football, avait été condamnée à sept mois de prison avec sursis en 2001 pour avoir pénétré sur la pelouse du Stade de France avec un drapeau algérien lors d’un match amical France Algérie.
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Sofia Benlemmane a été condamnée, mardi 15 avril 2025, à neuf mois de prison avec sursis pour avoir menacé de mort des opposants au régime algérien sur les réseaux sociaux.
L'influenceuse franco-algérienne Sofia Benlemmane au palais de justice de Lyon, le 18 mars.

Overview

  • Sofia Benlemmane, a 54-year-old Franco-Algerian influencer, was convicted in Lyon for making explicit death threats against opponents of the Algerian regime on social media.
  • The court sentenced her to nine months of suspended imprisonment, citing the severity of her hate-filled remarks, including direct calls for violence.
  • Benlemmane, previously convicted in 2001 for a politically motivated act involving the Algerian flag, claimed her statements were impulsive and not intended as actionable threats.
  • Her conviction follows the arrests of several Algerian influencers in January 2025, as French authorities crack down on online hate speech and incitement.
  • The case unfolds during heightened diplomatic tensions between France and Algeria, further strained by recent expulsions of consular officials and related incidents.