A member of the European Parliament from France is scheduled to face criminal charges this summer following her arrest over a controversial social media message, according to Paris prosecutors.
Rima Hassan, who represents France’s far-left political party, was taken into custody Thursday and held for several hours after officials determined her March 26 post on X could be interpreted as endorsing terrorist activities. The message was subsequently removed from the platform.
“At the end of her custody, Rima Hassan was given a summons to appear before the criminal court on July 7, 2026, to be tried on charges of advocating terrorism committed online,” prosecutors stated in their official announcement.
The controversial post referenced the deadly 1972 Lod airport assault in Tel Aviv, where Japanese Red Army militants killed 26 people. Hassan had shared a statement from one of the convicted attackers who attempted to defend the violence by pointing to what he described as Palestinian suffering.
French law treats online terrorism endorsement as a serious criminal matter, carrying potential penalties of up to seven years in prison and fines reaching 100,000 euros (approximately $115,290).
Two advocacy organizations – the International League Against Racism and Anti-Semitism and the European Jewish Organization – filed formal complaints about Hassan’s post.
Following her release, Hassan and her attorney Vincent Brengarth announced through separate social media statements that they would address the situation during a Friday afternoon news conference.
The 33-year-old politician, who was born in Syria and has Palestinian heritage, serves as an outspoken advocate for Palestinian causes and frequently criticizes Israeli policies. She won her European Parliament seat in 2024 representing the France Unbowed party.
Party leader Jean-Luc Melenchon characterized the legal action against Hassan as having political motivations.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez rejected such claims, telling BFMTV: “There are rules to be respected. Apologising for terrorism is a very serious offense.”
Prosecutors revealed that Hassan faces six additional investigations for potential hate speech violations, while authorities have dismissed 16 other cases against her.
During her arrest, officers discovered cannabidiol (CBD) and what appeared to be the synthetic drug 3-MMC in her possession. These drug-related matters will be handled through separate legal proceedings.
Hassan has disputed the illegal drug possession allegations, explaining through social media that she uses CBD for medical purposes.
