The defense lawyers of Algeria’s national team and OGC Nice football club player, Youcef Atal, announced on Wednesday that their client has appealed his conviction, which includes a suspended prison sentence.
This follows his sharing of a video calling for a “Black Day for Jews,” amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas.
At the age of 27, Atal, who is gearing up to represent his country in the Africa Cup of Nations finals in Ivory Coast from January 13 to February 11, was sentenced to an eight-month suspended prison term and fined €45,000 for incitement to religious hatred.
The conviction was handed down on January 3.
Atal’s legal team had hinted at the possibility of an immediate appeal following the pronouncement of the verdict.
His lawyer, Antoine Fay, explained to Agence France-Presse (AFP), “He sent a message of support to the Palestinians in Gaza. For him, this is peace, and he is not the only one.”
However, the charges brought by the deputy public prosecutor stated, “There is nothing related to peace during any of these 35 seconds,” considering the suspended prison sentence as a “warning penalty.”
This penalty aims to encourage the player to think before engaging in any future online publications.
In his defense, Atal argued that he had not watched the entire video before reposting it, claiming ignorance of its full content.
