French Court Sentences Pro-Palestine Activist and Mother for Speech on Gaza Genocide

A verdict handed down on Friday by the Nice criminal court represents one of the most severe penalties for online political expression imposed in France in recent years.

Human rights advocates have expressed concern, indicating that the sentence signifies a troubling trend towards the criminalization of dissent, particularly when it involves challenging Israeli policies.

Zaiter made a court appearance on January 23 following close to two months in pretrial detention, a period that saw authorities separate her from her young daughter and significantly restrict her communication with the outside world.

Prosecutors have filed charges related to content shared on social media platforms X and Instagram during the period from June 26 to October 13, 2025.

The case focused on her re-posting of anti-Zionist content, characterizing Israel’s operations in Gaza as genocidal, and her support for the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas in the face of continued Israeli aggression.

The prosecution has advocated for a two-year imprisonment, ongoing detention, inclusion in France’s FIJAIT terrorism offenders database, a decade-long prohibition from holding public office, and the imposition of financial penalties.

Judicial analysts have confirmed that judges have convicted Zaiter on 12 charges. The court sentenced her to 15 months of imprisonment, effective immediately, mandated her inclusion in the FIJAIT database, and prohibited her from holding any public office for the next ten years.

Furthermore, the court mandated that Zaiter compensate multiple Zionist organizations, such as LICRA and CRIF Sud-Est, with a payment of 6,200 Euros in damages.

The recent verdict represents Zaiter’s second conviction linked to her vocal endorsement of Palestine and Hamas.

In November 2024, she was initially handed a three-year prison sentence with two years suspended. However, the Aix-en-Provence Court of Appeal later amended the verdict, reducing it to 18 months, with 12 months suspended and probation.

Zaiter, a woman in her thirties with a previously clean criminal history, is a co-founder of the Nice à Gaza Association.

In the ongoing case, there was a mention of a social media post concerning Illan Choukroune, a French military reservist with the Israeli forces, who was characterized by Zaiter as having genocidal tendencies. Zaiter affirmed her stance on the matter and expressed bewilderment that her politically charged remarks were categorized as hateful speech.

Defense attorney Kada Sadouni denounced the verdict as profoundly unfair, warning that the case poses significant threats to freedom of expression, public discourse, and the systematic suppression of viewpoints considered politically troublesome.

He stated that the court seemed determined to set a precedent with Zaiter’s case and confirmed that an appeal is still being contemplated.