French comedian on trial for 'defending terrorism'

The trial of controversial French comedian Dieudonné M'bala M'bala, who is accused of condoning terrorism, has begun today.

M'bala M'bala was arrested after he posted a Facebook status referring to the series of terrorist attacks in France, in which 17 people were killed. The comment, which has since been deleted, read "Je me sens Charlie Coulibaly," or "I feel like Charlie Coulibaly." The statement combines "Je suis Charlie," the unifying message that became a worldwide display of solidarity following the attack on the Charlie Hebdo magazine office, with the last name of the gunman who killed four people at a kosher supermarket in the wake of that attack.

The trial highlights France's complicated laws on freedom of expression, which attempt to uphold the tenets of free speech while banning anti-Semitic, racist, or threatening remarks or actions.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

M'bala M'bala, meanwhile, is no stranger to run-ins with the authorities. He already has several convictions for inciting anti-Semitism and appeared in court last week to discuss separate comments he made in 2013.