CASE PROFILE - Jalil Djabbeur

SUMMARY OF CASE

In 2021, Jalil Djabbeur was indicted in France for the offence of “glorification of terrorism”. His offence was a homework assignment he completed on the topic of homophobia. He was never convicted of any offence but was forced to spend seven months in prison, suffering severe psychological and physical trauma as a result. 

In December 2023, shortly after his marriage, he was arrested once again, without explanation and placed under house arrest, with a ban on seeing his wife. A raid on his home in January 2024 led to violence against his mother and his three-day detention, though he was released for lack of evidence. His house arrest was extended multiple times, impacting his life and career.

Ahead of the 2024 Olympics, he was again placed under house arrest and further restrictive measures were imposed on him. Jalil continues to be prevented from speaking to or seeing his wife, and is subject to onerous legal and administrative measures despite the absence of a conviction.

BACKGROUND

Jalil is a 20 year old French Muslim of Italian and Algerian descent. He grew up in Alsace where he lived with his parents. He qualified as an electrician and due to his keen interest in fitness, regularly took part in martial arts classes. 

CASE

Initial Arrest & Detention - 2021

In 2021, Jalil was indicted by French authorities for the offence of "glorification of terrorism" after a school report related to a homework assignment involving a question on homophobia. This led to a seven-month imprisonment in a detention center for minors and a three-year-long investigation. During his imprisonment, Jalil endured severe psychological and physical trauma as he was harassed for being a practising Muslim and prevented from practicing his faith. He was ultimately released from detention without being convicted of any offence.

Second Arrest & House Arrest - 2023

In November 2023, Jalil married a French citizen of Italian descent. On December 21, he was arrested without explanation by decision of the local authority (prefect).  He was accused of making “dangerous remarks” and was subject to a psychiatric assessment and a socio-judicial follow-up meant to accompany his social reintegration. The next day, he was placed under administrative surveillance i.e. house arrest. During a meeting with the SPIP (prison integration and probation service), he was misdiagnosed as being a suicide risk and upon learning of his marriage, the probation service reached out to his wife’s SPIP. 

Police Raid, Continuing House Arrest & Ban on Private and Family life

Authorities, driven by extreme and unjustified suspicion, imposed a judicial ban on Jalil and his wife seeing each other in February 2024. The ban is unlawful as Jalil was never convicted of any offence. 
For the sake of their family life, the couple tried to maintain ad hoc contact over the phone, as they could not see each other. When the police discovered the calls, Jalil’s wife was imprisoned for 5 months.

A few days before the ban, in January 2024, the State raided Jalil’s home. Both Jalil and his elderly mother were subjected to police brutality and physical violence. His mother has suffered from lasting physical and mental health concerns as a result. Jalil himself was held in custody for three days. He was released due to lack of evidence. Jalil lost access to training, education and employment opportunities.

With the 2024 Olympics approaching, Jalil’s house arrest was extended until September. Further restrictions were imposed in November, extending the surveillance status through the holiday season.  At 20 years old, despite no criminal conviction and following 7 months of detention and a year under house arrest, Jalil was eventually released from house arrest. He is now a free man, however carries with him the scars of trauma both emotional and physical. 

Jalil’s wife was also placed under house arrest in November 2024 and remains  subjected to this administrative measure. Jalil and his wife haven’t seen each other since December 2023. 

DUE PROCESS ISSUES

1. 7 month long imprisonment and harassment

As a convert to Islam, Jalil was harassed for 7 months whilst being wrongfully placed in a detention centre for minors because of his faith and religious beliefs. The misdiagnosis was the direct consequence of a secular framework that ignored any wider religious context. His overt practice of Islam became a source of harassment in the centre, where he suffered psychological trauma. No supervisors protected him, or offered support, during his detention. 

The case demonstrates just how the culture of islamophobia leads directly to the severe restriction of civil liberties of Muslim minors,  targeted within an educational institution meant to safeguard their freedom of religion and speech. 

1.  House Arrest regime

The house arrest regime, especially for Muslims targeted through France’s counter-terror legislation, is an effective form of pseudo-imprinsonment and one which directly and significantly impacts family life. This oppressive regime is frequently used as a tool to silence those that the state targets. The lack of proper judicial oversight allows for extended periods of isolation and means effective social death. Appeals to courts are frequently rejected and judges often rubber stamp decisions, meaning individuals are left without meaningful legal recourse and spend years under house arrest without conviction of any offence.

1.  State impunity

The contact ban imposed on Jalil and his wife was made via a legal decision that, in theory, could not have engendered such an outcome. This is a clear example of the French government’s brash circumvention of its own rulings and the legal impunity it affords itself. The “prevention of terrorism' narrative has birthed a regime which produces devastating effects on individuals and families, without the basic rigour required by the Rule of law. Jalil’s case demonstrates clearly how the War on Terror regime severely reduces Muslims' basic civil liberties and debilitates their ability to protect themselves against arbitrary decisions.

Jalil therefore remains in a position where he cannot have any direct contact with his wife for the foreseeable future, despite him having never been convicted of any crime.

QUOTES

Jalil Djabbeur: 

For more than a year and a half I have been facing inhumane conditions imposed by the French government. I have been the victim of persecution against my religion by former minister Darmanin and now I am the victim of persecution by Bruno Retailleau. They have deprived me and my wife of our most fundamental rights for a whole year. 

Jalil’s mother: 

When injustice is unleashed on an innocent man, a whole mother bleeds and a whole nation betrays its own values. In France, being Muslim has become a suspicion, a fault in the eyes of those who preach equality but never apply it. I did not bring a child into the world to be deprived of freedom, care and love under the weight of a nameless injustice. When justice fails and human rights are trampled underfoot, only the voice of the oppressed remains to bear witness to the truth.

Hawa, Jalil’s wife: 

I still don't understand this relentlessness and the fact that two people who love each other are forbidden to be together. I'm physically and emotionally tired of this situation. It's unbearable.