The World Jewish Congress stands with our affiliate, the Representative Council of the Jewish Institutions of France (CRIF), in sharing our disappointment over the Paris Appeals Court decision to reaffirm a lower court’s ruling not to pursue charges against Kobili Traoré for his murder of 65-year-old retired Jewish physician, Sarah Halimi. The court’s ruled that Mr. Traoré was not legally responsible for his actions, despite also stating the murder was motivated by Ms. Halimi’s Jewish background, because his consumption of marijuana gave him a “delirious episode.”
The decision not to charge Mr. Traoré has sparked outrage in the French Jewish community. Several thousand people rallied in several cities in France, including in Paris, on Sunday, calling for justice and expressing their displeasure with the ruling.
Following the decision, CRIF expressed its support and solidarity to the family of Ms. Halimi. In addition, CRIF President Francis Kalifat questioned whether the perpetrator's consumption of marijuana would have been viewed as an excuse for his actions in other crimes.
