Hassan Iquioussen: Belgian justice refuses to hand over Moroccan imam to France

INFO BFMTV – Belgian justice does not intend to hand over Hassan Iquioussen – this Moroccan imam who had taken refuge in Belgium to flee the measure of removal from French territory which targeted him – to France. Hassan Iquioussen’s lawyer confirmed this same Friday. According to our information obtained from concordant sources, the Tournai council chamber refused to hand over Hassan Iquioussen to France. His decision fell after a closed-door hearing of the detainee before the Belgian authority. The Moroccan imam has been wanted by France since he left the territory in order to escape the measure of removal to which he was subject, taken after he made remarks deemed anti-Semitic and more broadly contrary to the values ​​of the Republic. He was arrested in Belgium on September 30th. He has been contesting since his extradition. The “evasion from the execution of a removal measure” reproached to the imam by a judge from Valencienne “is not an offense under Belgian law”, justified his Belgian lawyer Nicolas Cohen. counsel further assured that he risked “an unfair trial” in France. Hassan Iquioussen’s lawyer, Lucie Simon, posted on Twitter: “The Tournai council chamber refuses to surrender Hassan Iquioussen to France in view of the illegality of the European arrest warrant. Neither the law nor the Prosecuting authorities cannot be instrumentalized for political purposes, it was perhaps Belgium to recall it. ” The prosecution has already appealed the order. The file will be examined by the indictment chamber within 15 days. Hassan Iquioussen remains in detention. Maxime Brandstaetter with RV and AFP with AFP