from Tunisia, he says he wants to return to France

Just three days ago, imam Mahjoub Mahjoubi received faithful in his mosque in Bagnols-sur-Cèze, in Gard. Friday, February 23, in the morning, he spoke from Tunisia, the country where he was expelled just twelve hours after his arrest. “My objective is to return to France, for France to give me my right, my legitimacy to defend myself, (…) at least so that I can express myself before a judge”he said.

Procedures accelerated by the immigration law

In an expulsion order, the Ministry of the Interior refers to comments contrary to the values ​​of the Republic, made during various sermons. Gérald Darmanin announced the decision on Thursday evening on social networks. “We will not let anything go”he assured.

It was already possible to expel a person in a so-called emergency procedure, but the immigration law now allows the possibility during a home visit to seize identity documents, and therefore to speed up the process. Mahjoub Mahjoubi can still appeal to the administrative court. Justice will decide whether or not he can return to France.