“It has always been said by the civil parties that the decision will be respected because it will be respectable”, estimated this Wednesday, June 29, Jean Reinhart, one of the lawyers for the civil parties in the trial of the November 13 attacks. His nephew died at the Bataclan. The twenty defendants were sentenced to terms ranging from two years to life imprisonment. Salah Abdeslam, the only surviving member of the November 13, 2015 commandos, was sentenced to life imprisonment.
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The decision of the special assize court “is respectable because it respects the law and the applicable law. As a result of which, the civil parties are not happy but they note the intelligence of the decision, the discernment that there was in the penalties that have been been inflicted”continued the one who also represents the association 13onze15 Fraternity and truth.
These civil parties “view with satisfaction that all the elements of the misdemeanors and crimes for which the accused have been charged have been kept in their entirety, this is why the civil parties are not there to comment or to comment, but to note that there is had sorrows which were given with intelligence”.
Bruno Poncet, survivor of the Bataclan, wonders: “Are we not transforming a boy who didn’t really know, who still doesn’t really know what he is, into a radicalized beast?”.
“I’m a little divided because I have friends who were with me in the Bataclan, who are afraid of his exit”, emphasizes Bruno Poncet. But he recalls that “Until now, we have had a fair trial, a trial where we have shown barbarism, terrorists, that the answer could be justice, democracy”.
According to him, despite the fact that Salah Abdeslam “was involved in many things, he was not one of the assassins”. “In any case, me, the three I saw at the Bataclan, he was not in it.” Bruno Poncet makes “trust in justice” thinking that, “if they put that, it’s really only them, they think it’s the best solution”. But “given the prison conditions”the survivor of the attacks wonders.
Bruno Poncet finally says he is relieved. “Phew it’s over. We’re going to move on”lets go of the railwayman who admits to not being “no longer the same person today as September 8” at the start of the trial. “Really, I come out galvanized. It gives us enthusiasm. And it really gives me confidence in humanity.
Another Bataclan victim wonders. “Salah Abdeslam had the biggest sentence when he is not the genius of evil”says Franck, survivor of the Bataclan. “I’m afraid that behind this sentence he glorifies himself of that or people glorify him because he had the timpani”fears the survivor. “Is Salah Abdeslam really up to this sentence?”asks Frank.
“There is not necessarily a matter to be satisfied or not satisfied”tempers the father of a victim, Philippe Duperron, president of the association 13onze15 Fraternity and truth. “We have always said that we have complete confidence in the court and that the sentence the Court decides will be the right sentence in our eyes”.
“It is therefore that she was convinced that the facts which have been demonstrated were of exceptional gravity, as required by the Advocate General, and that this justified this rigor”. The incompressible life sentence pronounced against Salah Abdeslam “was, I think, debatable and it was considered justified”notes all the same the president of 13onze15 Fraternity and truth.
On the other sentences handed down, there was, according to him, “good surprises”.
“The individualization of the sentences was perfectly respected. Each and the others had the sentence which was deserved, and in particular the small ones.”
Philippe Duperronfranceinfo
“The court put the church back in the middle of the village”finally considers Maître Gérard Chemla, one of the lawyers for the civil parties. “These are appropriate sentences”according to him. “The sentences against Salah Abdeslam or Mohamed Abrini have an important symbolic dimension”. These sentences “send a message: those who come to commit attacks deserve life imprisonment, those who do not dissociate themselves from the terrorist approach deserve real life imprisonment”continued Maître Gérard Chemla. “It’s healthy, it’s normal, that’s justice”he slips.
The lawyer for 140 civil parties says he is relieved. “I would now like us to be able to look to the future”, he says. The lawyer hopes there will be no appeal for “to be able to move on and close the file”.