Mahjoub Mahjoubi, Tunisian Imam
Mahjoub Mahjoubi, aged 52, a Tunisian cleric accused of denouncing the French flag as satanic, was swiftly deported to North Africa by French authorities within 12 hours of his arrest for delivering sermons deemed contrary to French values.
His deportation took place on Thursday, February 22.
Despite residing in France since the 1980s and raising five children there, Mr. Mahjoubi was arrested and deported following a viral social media post where he allegedly referred to France’s tricolor flag as ‘satanic’.
In contrast to them, he lacked French citizenship and had his residency permit revoked.
The official order for Mr. Mahjoubi’s expulsion cited his sermons as presenting Islam in a “retrograde, intolerant, and violent” manner, potentially inciting actions contrary to French values, discrimination against women, tensions with the Jewish community, and jihadist radicalization.
Additionally, the indictment stated that the imam referred to the Jewish people as enemies and advocated for the destruction of Western society.
He also purportedly remarked that the tricolore, although not explicitly stated as the French flag, held “no value to Allah.”
Mr. Mahjoubi, who operates a construction company, asserted that it was a mere slip of the tongue, stating, “I will strive to come back to France, where I have resided for 40 years.”
He emphasized that his entire family, including his youngest child undergoing cancer treatment in the hospital, relied solely on him.
“My attorney will pursue legal action in France. If the court does not deliver justice, I will appeal, and if necessary, I will take my case to the European Court of Human Rights,” he affirmed. “I have not insulted the Jewish community or the flag of France.”
Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin stated that the deportation illustrated the strength of a recently enacted immigration law, perceived as part of the government’s response to the growing influence of far-right sentiment in public opinion polls.
“Firmness is our guiding principle,” asserted Mr. Darmanin, who criticized what he described as the actions of a “radical imam making unacceptable remarks.”
Mr. Mahjoubi countered, claiming his expulsion was an arbitrary decision and accused Mr. Darmanin of leveraging his case to generate publicity around the immigration law.
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