'Torture complaint' lodged in Paris against French-Israeli soldier

'Torture complaint' lodged in Paris against French-Israeli soldier
Three groups, including the Association of Palestinians of France, reportedly submitted the complaint over alleged 'acts of torture'.
2 min read
17 April, 2024
The complaint was reportedly lodged with prosecutors in the French capital Paris [Colors Hunter - Chasseur de Couleurs/Getty-file photo]

A French-Israeli soldier was the subject of a torture complaint lodged on Tuesday with prosecutors in Paris, local media reported.

The Association of Palestinians of France, Justice and Rights Without Borders, and the March 30 Movement submitted the complaint over alleged "acts of torture" amid a "genocidal military attack", the France Inter public broadcaster discovered from the groups' lawyer.

The groups reportedly condemn footage allegedly filmed by the Franco-Israeli man and shared by someone close to him on social media in February.

The footage showed detained Palestinians, one of whom had his hands bound behind his back.

"They tortured him to make him talk. Did you see his back?" the soldier recording said.

Footage also showed prisoners sitting blindfolded.

"Shut your months, bunch of bitches. You were happy on 7 October, bunch of sons of whores," the soldier said, referring to the date of a Hamas-led attack on Israel.

The attack resulted in about 1,170 deaths, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.

The groups who lodged the complaint want French authorities to open a probe.

Gilles Devers, the groups' lawyer, thought there were "enough elements to file a complaint".

He wants to "know if this Frenchman, who is in Israeli uniform, has not committed crimes of torture, as perpetrator or accomplice, or crimes of mistreatment".

A "lack of reaction" from prosecutors "would pose a serious problem", according to the lawyer.

Israel is currently waging a war on the Gaza Strip, which has so far killed at least 33,899 people, according to the enclave's health ministry.

The International Court of Justice in January found that Israel was plausibly breaching the UN Genocide Convention in Gaza.

Agencies contributed to this report.