FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
European Alliance Condemns Conviction of Activist Olivia Zemor, Warns of Threat to Free Expression in France
The European Alliance in Defence of Palestinian Detainees (ASRA) condemns the conviction of French activist Olivia Zemor, warning that the ruling sets a dangerous precedent for freedom of expression and political dissent in France.
On March 26, 2026, a Paris court found Ms. Zemor, president of the advocacy group EuroPalestine, guilty of "apology for terrorism" for articles published on the organization's website on October 7-8, 2023. The court sentenced her to a suspended 24-month prison term—harsher than the 10-month suspended term sought by prosecutors—along with a five-year ban from public office, a €3,000 fine payable to the European Jewish Organization, and placement on a registry of terrorist offenders.
ASRA believes the conviction is a miscarriage of justice that conflates legitimate political commentary and dissent with criminal support for terrorism. The articles in question provided analysis of the events of October 7 within the context of the ongoing Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories. By criminalizing this analysis, the court has prioritized a political narrative over the fundamental democratic right to critique state policy.
"This conviction is not about combating terrorism; it is about silencing a critical voice on one of the most pressing human rights issues of our time," said Dr. Khaled Hamad, founder and General Co-ordinater of ASRA. "When a state uses anti-terror laws to punish political speech, it betrays the very democratic principles it claims to protect. This ruling should alarm every French citizen who values the freedom to dissent.”
The Alliance notes that this legal action occurs against the backdrop of unwavering French support for Israel, despite the International Court of Justice's January 2024 ruling that there is a "plausible risk of genocide" in Gaza. The ICJ decision created binding obligations for all states, including France, to prevent genocide—a responsibility that ASRA argues the French government continues to ignore. The conviction of Ms. Zemor appears designed to shield French policy from domestic criticism and stifle debate over its compliance with international law.
ASRA calls on the French appellate court to overturn this conviction, which endangers the constitutionally protected rights of expression and association. We urge all people of conscience in France and across Europe to condemn this attack on civil liberties and to defend the right to free and open political debate.
About ASRA:
The European Alliance in Defence of Palestinian Detainees (ASRA) is a coalition of human rights organizations and activists dedicated to protecting the legal and human rights of Palestinian political prisoners and defending freedom of expression on the issue of Palestine in Europe.
Media Contact:
Peter Eisenstein
Honorary President of ASRA
asrafalastin@web.de