French Prosecutors Drop Terrorism Apology Case Against Mathilde Panot

The LFI leader hailed the decision as a victory for free expression and criticized the government's handling of pro-Palestinian advocacy.

Mathilde Panot, leader of the France Insoumise (LFI) parliamentary group, announced the closure of a criminal investigation against her for 'apology of terrorism.'
The case stemmed from an October 2023 LFI statement that controversially described Hamas's attack on Israel as 'an armed offensive by Palestinian forces.'
Panot criticized the investigation as a misuse of justice to suppress pro-Palestinian voices, particularly during the European election campaign.
The decision follows similar police interrogations of other LFI figures, including Rima Hassan, over statements about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The case sparked heated criticism from across the political spectrum, with opponents accusing LFI of legitimizing terrorism through its rhetoric.