A French court hearing into the tragic 2020 murder of history teacher Samuel Paty has revealed the devastating consequences of a lie. A Muslim schoolgirl admitted to fabricating claims of Islamophobia against Paty, which incited a chain of events culminating in his brutal beheading by a jihadist.
Speaking through tears, the girl, who was 13 at the time of the murder, apologised to Paty's family, saying, "I apologise for my lie that brought us all back here... Without me, no one would be here," per a report from the Daily Mail.
The False Accusation That Sparked a Tragedy
Samuel Paty, 47, was a history and geography teacher at a school in Conflans-Sainte-Honorine, near Paris. On 16 October 2020, he was murdered by Abdoullakh Anzorov, an 18-year-old Chechen refugee. Anzorov, armed with a knife, decapitated Paty outside the school after being incited by an online campaign accusing Paty of disrespecting Islam.
The campaign began when the schoolgirl falsely claimed that Paty had asked Muslim students to leave the classroom before showing caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad during an ethics class. These images, originally published by the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo, were part of a lesson discussing freedom of expression and the 2015 Charlie Hebdo attack.
In reality, Paty had not singled out Muslim students. Instead, he had warned his class in advance and offered those who might find the images offensive the chance to look away. Crucially, the girl making the allegations was not even present in the classroom that day.
A Murder Based on Lies
Fearing her parents' anger after being suspended for misbehaviour, the girl invented the story to justify her actions. Her father, Brahim Chnina, amplified the false claims by launching an online campaign accusing Paty of Islamophobia. Videos shared by Chnina gained significant traction, stoking anger among Islamist extremists.
Chnina's accusations caught the attention of Abdelhakim Sefrioui, a known Islamist activist. Together, they spread misinformation about Paty, labelling him as a threat to the Muslim community. Investigators revealed that between 9 and 13 October 2020, Chnina spoke with Anzorov multiple times by phone, further escalating tensions.
Anzorov, motivated by the misinformation, travelled over 60 miles to confront and murder Paty. Shortly after the killing, he was shot dead by police.
The Courtroom Apology
During the hearing, the schoolgirl expressed remorse for her role in the events, addressing Paty's grieving family. "I know it's hard to hear, but I wanted to apologise... I'm sorry for destroying your life," she said.
The girl, now 17, explained her fear at the time of the incident. "I wanted to tell my parents that it was false, but I was afraid to say it," she admitted. Even after Paty's murder, she continued to lie during police interrogations, only confessing the truth after 30 hours of questioning. Last year, the girl was sentenced to an 18-month suspended sentence for her false allegations.
Ongoing Trials
The current trial in Paris involves eight defendants accused of contributing to the climate of hatred that led to Paty's murder. Chnina and Sefrioui face charges of associating with a terrorist organisation. Both men deny intending to incite violence, with Sefrioui claiming he sought only administrative sanctions against Paty.
Four other defendants, including a Turkish national and a Russian of Chechen origin, allegedly interacted with Anzorov online, sharing jihadist propaganda. One of them, Yusuf Cinar, posted an image of Paty's severed head with smiley faces after the killing.
Two other individuals, Naim Boudaoud and Azim Epsirkhanov, are accused of complicity in terrorist murder. Prosecutors allege that they accompanied Anzorov to purchase weapons and supplies the day before the attack.
