Those who through their writings on the Internet “transform theoretical hatred into violent actions” must be held accountable, said Eta Yudin, a representative of the Jewish community, at the stage of submissions on the sentence to be imposed on Gabriel Sohier Chaput .
The 36-year-old was found guilty in January of fomenting hatred against the Jewish people in a 2017 article written for the neo-Nazi and white supremacist website, ‘The Daily Stormer’.
Judge Manlio Del Negro of the Court of Quebec heard on Wednesday the arguments of the lawyers on the sentence that the offender will have to serve.
Called to testify by the Crown, Ms.me Yudin argued that there is an upsurge in hatred against Jews, which has very heavy psychological impacts on members of the community.
“The community as a whole felt targeted and threatened” by the writings of Sohier Chaput, she explained.
In his publication, Sohier Chaput wrote that 2017 would be “the year of action” and called for “continuous Nazism everywhere, until the streets are flooded with the tears of our enemies”. If the offender stood trial for a single article, he was one of the most prolific contributors to the “Daily Stormer.” »
On Wednesday, the Crown prosecutor and the defense lawyer made a joint suggestion to the judge: three months in prison.
Judge Del Negro expressed his astonishment because he considers this sentence much too lenient: “I announce to you my very great concern with regard to the suggested sentence. »
“Do you think three months is enough for the deterrence objective? The sentence you suggest trivializes the offence. The crime is very serious. »
Sohier Chaput’s lawyer, Mr.e Antonio Cabral, argued that his client has no criminal record, is no longer on social media and is an “asset for society” because he works. “He did some work on himself. »
He also made him testify. He apologized in the courtroom of the Montreal courthouse: “I recognize that what I wrote may have offended people. I regret. I want to apologize,” he said grimly.
He did not move the judge, who later called his apologies “opportunistic”.
The magistrate will render his decision on the sentence on September 22.