French Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin recently raised concerns with his Belgian counterpart, Justice Minister Annelies Verlinden, about the possibility of Mohamed Bakkali being released early from prison. Bakkali is a convicted "logistician" in the November 13, 2015, Paris attacks, which killed 130 people. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison in June 2022, with a two-thirds safety period, meaning he would not be eligible for early release until the 2030s. However, since Bakkali is a Belgian national, he has been serving his sentence in Belgium, where the rules for his release are determined by Belgian law. Bakkali was incarcerated in late 2015 after his conviction and has already received short furloughs since last year under a system known as "penitentiary leaves." Since August 2023, electronic monitoring has been allowed for such leaves, raising concerns about the possibility of his early release. A hearing is set for September 29 before the Brussels Sentence Execution Court, where the court will consider whether Bakkali can be released under certain conditions. Darmanin expressed shock at the idea of Bakkali being released after only 11 years in prison, calling it inconsistent with the decisions of French assize courts and the wishes of the victims. In addition to his sentence for the Paris attacks, Bakkali was also convicted of helping an attacker on the Thalys train in August 2015, for which he received a 25-year sentence. The French Attorney General has urged victims of the Paris attacks to attend the September 29 hearing via video conferencing and has proposed revising European rules on mutual recognition of judicial decisions to prevent such situations. The prospect of Bakkali’s early release has caused confusion and frustration among victims, with some expressing a "feeling of betrayal" and criticizing the lack of response from Belgian and French justice ministers. Representatives from Belgian justice have held an information meeting in Paris to explain the rights of victims in the ongoing legal process. They emphasized that victims will be involved in the procedure before the Brussels Sentence Execution Court. The case highlights the complexities of cross-border legal cooperation and the emotional impact on victims of major terrorist attacks.