The Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, announced Thursday July 28, 2022 on Twitter the expulsion ofHassan Iquioussen. According to the minister, this imam, close to the Muslim Brotherhood, “has for years held a hate speech against the values of France, contrary to our principles of secularism and equality between women and men.”
This preacher has for years held a hate speech against the values of France, contrary to our principles of secularism and equality between women and men. He will be expelled from French territory.https://t.co/tAEPWsayWt
— Gérald DARMANIN (@GDarmanin) July 28, 2022
Hassan Iquioussen, 59, is very active on social networks. He has a YouTube channel which was followed on July 29, 2022 by 172,000 people and a Facebook page with 43,000 subscribers. According to the ministerial order of expulsion that franceinfo was able to consult, the imam realized since the 2000s of sermons on video, collecting up to 30 million views. Some of his videos advocate “not following the laws of Rpublic”, questioning the reality of the attacks committed by Daesh, showing sympathy for Osama bin Laden, opposing secularism. According to the decree, Hassan Iquioussen therefore represents “a serious threat to public order.” On June 22, the departmental commission for the expulsion of foreigners gave a favorable opinion on his expulsion.
The imam defends himself in a message posted on Facebook.
“I have been accused of making discriminatory or even violent remarks, which I strongly contest.”
Hassan Iquioussenon Facebook
imam was born in France, he has 5 children and 15 French grandchildren. He says he taught French, having asked twice for French nationality, in truth. He explains that he only knows Morocco, his country of origin, through short holidays.
According to his lawyer, Me Lucile Simon, if Hassan Iquioussen was able to make virulent anti-Zionist remarks in videos in 2000, he apologized for it. She points out that her client has never been prosecuted or convicted for any of his remarks or any of his sermons. Hassan Iqioussen remains, according to his lawyer, a defender of living together, of secularism, committed against fundamentalism. She denounces a “political opportunism” who registers “in a nauseating climate aimed at a religious minority”. The lawyer is considering summary proceedings before the administrative court and referral to the European Court of Human Rights. Appeals that will not allow the ministerial decree to be suspended.