Trial of suspects in teacher beheading begins in France

Eight people have gone on trial in Paris on terrorism charges over the beheading of teacher Samuel Paty.

- NICOLAS VAUX-MONTAGNY & SYLVIE CORBET

The 47-year-old was killed by an Islamic extremist after showing caricatures of Islam’s prophet to his middle school students for a lesson on freedom of expression.

Mr Paty’s shocking death left an imprint on France, and several schools are now named after him. He was killed outside his school near Paris on 16 October 2020, by an 18-year-old Russian of Chechen origin, who was shot dead by police.

Those on trial include friends of assailant Abdoullakh Anzorov who allegedly helped purchase weapons for the attack, as well as people who are accused of spreading false information online about the teacher and his class.

The proceedings started yesterday in the presence of members of Mr Paty’s family, including his two sisters. The trial was held under high security, with many police officers patrolling and making checks outside and inside the courtroom.

Five of the accused, who are currently imprisoned, were seated in a wide glass box. Three others, placed under judicial supervision, sat on the defendants’ benches outside the box. The attack occurred against a backdrop of protests in many Muslim countries and calls online for violence targeting France and the satirical French newspaper Charlie Hebdo.