Attack in Yvelines

On 23 October 2026, a man opened fire in bursts at Trappes and La Verrière in the Yvelines. The attack resulted in one death and five injuries, including a 12-year-old girl, and the National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor's Office has taken charge.

Mayor's statement

The mayor of Trappes, Ali Rabeh, stated that the attack was "a terrorist, racist, and Islamophobic attack." This characterization reflects concerns about the motivations behind the violence.

Response from a commentator

In response, Sabrina Medjebeur, an essayist and sociologist regularly invited to CNews, stated on 26 October that "Islamophobia, that is, the criticism of Islam, is a right in our country." This comment sparked debate about the legal and social definitions of the term.

Definition of Islamophobia

The term "Islamophobia" does not appear in any French legal texts. It refers indistinctly to two realities: the criticism or rejection of Islam as a religion, on the one hand; hostility, hatred, or discrimination against people of Muslim faith, on the other.

Legal stance on blasphemy

French law does not recognize blasphemy as a crime. The penal code of 1791 abolished it, the law of 29 July 1881 repealed the offense of outraging religious morality, and the law of 27 January 2017 on equality and citizenship eliminated the last vestige in Alsace-Moselle.

Freedom of expression and criticism

Criticizing Islam, its texts, its doctrines, or its practices falls under the freedom of expression (articles 10 and 11 of the 1789 Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights). This applies equally to ideas that "offend, shock, or worry," according to the European Court of Human Rights.

Judicial interpretations

Judges draw conclusions from this. In 2024, the Court of Cassation ruled that condemning actions attributed to "Islamists," rather than Muslims as such, does not necessarily constitute incitement to hatred. This highlights the legal distinction between criticizing a belief and targeting individuals.

Legal protections against hate speech

The 1881 law prohibits defamation (article 32) and insult (article 33) directed at a person or group "on account of their membership or non-membership to a particular religion," as well as incitement to discrimination, hatred, or violence for the same reasons (article 24). This law provides a framework for addressing hate speech.

Judicial scrutiny of language

The judge checks each time whether the statement targets the belief or the believers. The term "racaille" placed on the banner of a website dedicated to Islam and Muslims was thus deemed "insulting to persons." This shows how courts evaluate the intent behind language.

Contextual analysis of statements

Statements targeting "immigrants of Muslim faith coming from Africa," accused of wanting to impose "Islamic customs," were deemed "incitement to hatred," with the Court of Cassation requiring a "comprehensive analysis" of the statement in its context. This underscores the importance of context in legal judgments.

Conclusion on rights and terms

In summary, it is accurate to say that one has the right to criticize Islam. It is much less accurate to say that "Islamophobia" is a right, as the term also, and mainly, refers to incitement to hostility toward Muslims, which the law punishes.