ISTANBUL

French political scientist Francois Burgat was acquitted of "apology of terrorism" charges on Wednesday.

"Together with my colleague Lucie Simon, we are pleased to announce that Professor Francois Burgat has been acquitted of the charges of ‘apology of terrorism.’ We hope this acquittal will set a precedent,” Burgat's lawyer Rafik Chekkat announced on X.

Burgat, known for his work on the Arab world, was detained on July 9, 2024, in Aix-en-Provence on charges of “apology of terrorism.”

His arrest followed a complaint by the European Jewish Organization (OJE) over social media posts he shared in January 2024 about Israel’s attacks on Gaza.

The prosecutor's office demanded that Burgat be given an eight-month suspended prison sentence and fined €4,000 ($4,555), while also requesting that the political scientist be banned from posting on X for six months.