Latest news with #NahelMerzouk
NBC News
3 days ago
- General
- NBC News
A French police officer will face trial over the killing of a teen that set off nationwide riots
PARIS — A French police officer will face trial next year on charges of voluntary homicide over the killing of a 17-year-old of North African descent, a death that set off nationwide riots. The prosecutor's office in the Paris suburb of Nanterre, where victim Nahel Merzouk grew up and was killed in 2023, said in a statement that magistrates decided Tuesday to send the police officer to trial after a two-year investigation. The officer, identified in legal documents only as Florian M., was initially detained but released a few months later pending further investigation. He is expected to face trial in the third quarter of 2026, the prosecutor's office said. Merzouk's family and lawyer did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the announcement. The teenager was shot during a traffic stop in Nanterre. Video showed two officers at the window of the Mercedes the youth was driving, one with his gun pointed at Merzouk. As the car pulled forward, the officer fired once. After the killing, Nanterre prosecutor Pascal Prache said his initial investigation led him to conclude that the officer's use of his weapon was not legally justified. Protests over his killing spread around France and some turned violent, with stores looted and public buildings torched. Thousands of people were arrested as the government ratcheted up its law enforcement response to quell the unrest, and hundreds of people were injured. In related protests in the overseas territory of French Guiana in South America, a 54-year-old died after being hit by a stray bullet. The reaction to the killing was a potent reminder of the persistent poverty, discrimination, unemployment and other lack of opportunity in neighborhoods around France where many residents trace their roots to former French colonies.
Malay Mail
3 days ago
- General
- Malay Mail
French police officer to face trial over teen's killing that ignited 2023 riots
PARIS, June 4 — A French policeman who shot and killed a teenager at point-blank range in 2023 in a Paris suburb, sparking days of riots, is to go on trial charged with murder, a court said Tuesday. The trial of the officer, who has been charged with the murder of Nahel Merzouk, 17, could take place in the second or third quarter of 2026, the court in the Nanterre suburb, where the killing took place, said in a joint statement with investigating magistrates. The announcement coincides with rising tensions in France after attacks against Muslims in recent weeks, as well as the burning of a Quran in the south-east of the country. The officer, identified as Florian M., was released from custody in November 2023 after five months in detention. Mobile phone footage of an officer shooting Nahel inside a car during a traffic stop on a busy street went viral. The scene sparked anger and protests that degenerated into rioting and led to scenes of devastation nationwide. The police initially maintained that Nahel had driven his car at the officer. But this was contradicted by the video, which showed two officers standing at a stationary car, with one pointing a weapon at its driver. 'Nothing shows Florian M. was authorised in the circumstances to use his weapon, in violation of the principles of proportionality and absolute necessity,' according to the written order issued by two investigating magistrates for the trial, which was seen by AFP. 'Law applied' However legal proceedings were dropped against the accused officer's colleague who was present during the incident. He had been investigated as an 'assisted witness', which in the French system is one step before being charged. 'This order for a trial is both disappointing and not surprising,' said Laurent-Franck Lienard, Florian M.'s lawyer, explaining that the investigating judge was always likely to follow the prosecution's push for a trial. The lawyer told AFP he would lodge an appeal against the order. 'We maintain that the shooting was legitimate,' he said. Eric Henry, of the Alliance police union which has vigorously defended the actions of the police officer, told CNews TV the announcement of the trial sent 'a disastrous signal to our colleague, to the police world'. But Frank Berton, a lawyer for Nahel's mother Mounia Merzouk, said he was satisfied with the decision to move to a trial. 'We are just seeing the law being applied,' he said. 'Now all that remains is to convince the court.' The move to try the officer over the death of Nahel, who was of north African origin, comes as new tensions have emerged over racism and security in France. A man who had posted racist videos shot dead his Tunisian neighbour and badly wounded a Turkish man in the south of France at the weekend, and a Malian man was stabbed to death in a mosque in April. 'Racism is not France' Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, who is taking an increasingly hard line on immigration issues, has faced accusations of not bring firm enough against such crimes and even fuelling a racist climate. But he said on Tuesday that the killing of Tunisian Hichem Miraoui in Puget-sur-Argens was 'clearly a racist crime,' 'probably also anti-Muslim,' and 'perhaps also a terrorist crime.' 'Racism is not France,' Retailleau told the National Assembly. According to Le Parisien newspaper, the suspect in that killing, who is under arrest, said he 'swore allegiance to the French flag' and called on the French to 'shoot' people of foreign origin in one of his videos posted on social media. Anti-terrorism prosecutors have taken over the investigation into the case, the first such racist attack linked to the far right to be dealt with as 'terrorism' since their office was set up in 2019. Meanwhile, a person stole a Quran on the night of Sunday to Monday from a mosque near the southeastern French city of Lyon and set it on fire, religious leaders and a police source said Tuesday. — AFP
Euronews
3 days ago
- General
- Euronews
Police officer who shot teenager dead in 2023 to be tried for murder
A French police officer will face a murder trial next year over the 2023 killing of teenager Nahel Merzouk, a decision reached at the end of a two-year investigation. The trial of the 38-year-old officer could take place in the second or third quarter of 2026, the court and prosecutor in the Paris suburb of Nanterre, where the killing at point-blank range took place, said in a joint statement. The lawyer for Merzouk's mother, Frank Berton, welcomed the order for a trial. "We are just seeing the law being applied (...) Now all that remains is to convince the court," he told the AFP news agency. Meanwhile, the defendant's lawyer criticised the decision, adding it was "both disappointing and not surprising." "The investigating judge would have had to be courageous to take a different position than that of the prosecution," Laurent-Franck Liénard, the officer's lawyer, told AFP, adding that he would lodge an appeal against the order. "We maintain that the shooting was legitimate," he said. The officer, identified by domestic media as Florian M., was charged with Merzouk's murder. He was released from custody in November 2023 after five months in detention pending further investigation. He is currently under judicial supervision, meaning his movements are restricted. Merzouk, a teenager of North African descent, was shot dead on 27 June 2023 as he pulled away from police during a traffic stop. Police initially maintained that Merzouk had driven his car at the officer. However, this was contradicted by a video which showed two officers standing outside a stationary car, with one pointing a weapon at its driver. A voice was heard saying: "You are going to get a bullet in the head." Video footage of the shooting itself went viral and sparked protests that escalated into rioting and led to scenes of devastation nationwide. Thousands of people were arrested as the government ratcheted up its law enforcement response to quell the unrest, injuring hundreds. Between 2022 and Merzouk's murder the next year, 15 people were killed by police during traffic stops. Not all officers were charged. After the death of Merzouk, the UN called on France to address "the deep-rooted problems of racism and racial discrimination" in its police force. Meanwhile, the Council of Europe's human rights monitoring body (ECRI) warned last month that law enforcement officials across Europe continue to use racial profiling. It has long recommended that French authorities introduce an effective system of recording identity checks by law enforcement officers. "France is one country of concern when it comes to racial profiling," Bertil Cottier, chair of the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI), told Euronews. "We noticed a couple of months ago sadly that our recommendation on combating racial profiling — in particular on tracing the police officers who (incorrectly) stopped people — has been ignored so far," he added.
Time of India
3 days ago
- General
- Time of India
A French police officer to stand trial over teen's killing that sparked nationwide riots
PARIS: A French police officer will face trial next year on charges of voluntary homicide over the killing of a 17-year-old of North African descent, a death that triggered nationwide riots. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The prosecutor's office in the Paris suburb of Nanterre, where victim Nahel Merzouk grew up and was killed in 2023, announced in a statement that magistrates decided on Tuesday to send the police officer to trial after a two-year investigation. The officer, identified in legal documents only as Florian M, was initially detained but released a few months later pending further investigation. He is expected to face trial in the third quarter of 2026, the prosecutor's office said. Merzouk's family and lawyer did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the announcement. The teenager was shot during a traffic stop in Nanterre. Video showed two officers at the window of the Mercedes the youth was driving, one with his gun pointed at Merzouk. As the car pulled forward, the officer fired once. After the killing, Nanterre prosecutor Pascal Prache said his initial investigation led him to conclude that the officer's use of his weapon wasn't legally justified. Protests over his killing spread around France and some turned violent, with stores looted and public buildings torched. Thousands of people were arrested as the government ratcheted up its law enforcement response to quell the unrest, and hundreds of people were injured. In related protests in the overseas territory of French Guiana in South America, a 54-year-old died after being hit by a stray bullet. The reaction to the killing was a potent reminder of the persistent poverty, discrimination, unemployment and other lack of opportunity in neighborhoods around France where many residents trace their roots to former French colonies.
Toronto Sun
3 days ago
- General
- Toronto Sun
French cop faces trial over killing of teen that sparked nationwide riots
Nahel Merzouk was shot during a traffic stop in Nanterre Published Jun 03, 2025 • 1 minute read An attendee holds a banner reading "Justice for Nahel" as cars burn in the street at the end of a commemoration march for a teenage driver shot dead by a policeman, in the Parisian suburb of Nanterre, on June 29, 2023. Photo by BERTRAND GUAY / AFP via Getty Images PARIS — A French police officer will face trial next year on charges of voluntary homicide over the killing of a 17-year-old of North African descent, a death that triggered nationwide riots. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The prosecutor's office in the Paris suburb of Nanterre, where victim Nahel Merzouk grew up and was killed in 2023, announced in a statement that magistrates decided Tuesday to send the police officer to trial after a two-year investigation. The officer, identified in legal documents only as Florian M., was initially detained but released a few months later pending further investigation. He is expected to face trial in the third quarter of 2026, the prosecutor's office said. Merzouk's family and lawyer did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the announcement. The teenager was shot during a traffic stop in Nanterre. Video showed two officers at the window of the Mercedes the youth was driving, one with his gun pointed at Merzouk. As the car pulled forward, the officer fired once. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. After the killing, Nanterre prosecutor Pascal Prache said his initial investigation led him to conclude that the officer's use of his weapon wasn't legally justified. Protests over his killing spread around France and some turned violent, with s tores looted and public buildings torched. Thousands of people were arrested as the government ratcheted up its law enforcement response to quell the unrest, and hundreds of people were injured. In related protests in the overseas territory of French Guiana in South America, a 54-year-old died after being hit by a stray bullet. The reaction to the killing was a potent reminder of the persistent poverty, discrimination, unemployment and other lack of opportunity in neighborhoods around France where many residents trace their roots to former French colonies. Columnists Sunshine Girls Canada Technology Olympics
