Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

French Jewish journalist placed under police protection after threats Far-left leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon accused of putting ‘a target’ on the journalist’s back.

(Politico) Ruth Elkrief, a French Jewish columnist with TV broadcaster LCI, is being placed under police protection over threats she received after far-left leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon criticized one of her interviews, calling her a “fanatic” and accusing her of showing “contempt for […]

Citizenship

French senator demands footballer Karim Benzema lose citizenship over Muslim Brotherhood claim Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin said the star was ‘linked’ with the Muslim party. Benzema’s lawyer said that’s not true.

(Politico) A French senator on Wednesday called for Karim Benzema to be stripped of his French citizenship after Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin suggested the football star was linked to the Muslim Brotherhood, a Sunni Islamist party considered to be a terrorist group […]

Government & Politics

Belgian officials knew all about Brussels terror attack gunman — but were unable to stop him Tunisian shooter’s profile sheds light on Belgium’s security failures.

(Politico) Belgian authorities were well aware of the gunman who caused terror in Brussels — and yet he was still able to shoot two people dead. The attacker — who killed two Swedish football fans on Monday evening — had been on the authorities’ […]

Government & Politics

Belgium swaps convicted terrorist to free aid worker jailed in Iran ‘Olivier Vandecasteele is on his way to Belgium,’ PM Alexander De Croo says.

(Politico) Iran has released Olivier Vandecasteele, a Belgian humanitarian worker who had been detained in Iran for more than a year, in exchange for convicted terrorist Assadollah Assadi, who had been imprisoned in Belgium. “Olivier Vandecasteele is on his way to Belgium,” […]

Government & Politics

EU’s Johansson slams Greece over ‘deportation’ of migrants Footage showing Greek coast guard abandoning migrants in the open sea is ‘absolutely unacceptable,’ EU home affairs commissioner says.

(Politico) EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson criticized Greece for reportedly forcing migrants onto an emergency raft and abandoning them in the Aegean Sea. In an interview with POLITICO, Johansson said the episode was more than a pushback — when migrants are […]

Government & Politics

Belgium’s top court reopens door for contentious prisoner-swap deal with Iran The deal could allow an exchange between a Belgian aid worker jailed in Iran and an Iranian diplomat convicted for terrorism in Belgium.

(Politico) Belgium’s highest court on Friday overturned a freeze on a controversial treaty on prisoner exchanges that could allow an Iranian diplomat convicted of terrorism to be sent back to Tehran. The treaty would allow Iranians convicted in Belgium to serve their […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

Court upholds French far-right leader’s conviction over anti-Muslim comments The European Court of Human Rights dismisses former French presidential candidate Eric Zemmour’s freedom of speech claim.

(Politico) The European Court of Human Rights rejected the appeal of former French presidential candidate Eric Zemmour, who was convicted in France for “inciting discrimination and religious hatred” over comments targeting the French Muslim community. “The court held that the interference with […]