Algeria Defender Youcef Atal Receives Suspended Sentence for Social Media Post

Algeria defender Youcef Atal has been given an eight-month suspended sentence by a French court for inciting religious hatred in a social media post regarding the conflict in Israel and Gaza.

Court Ruling and Fine

The Nice criminal court has ruled that Atal must also pay a €45,000 (£38,886) fine for posting an antisemitic video on his Instagram account.

Suspension and National Team Selection

The 27-year-old has been suspended “until further notice” by his club side Nice. However, he has still been selected to play for the Algeria squad in the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations.

Publication of Conviction

Atal will also be responsible for the publication of his conviction details in the regional daily Nice-Matin and national newspaper Le Monde.

Apologies and Explanation

After deleting the original post and issuing an apology the following day, Atal apologized again during the court hearings. He claimed that he did not watch the full 35-second video and intended to send “a message of peace.”

Prosecutor’s Argument

However, the prosecutors were not convinced by Atal’s explanation. Prosecutor Meggi Choutia argued that sharing a video implies agreement with its message and gives it visibility. She stated that there was no mention of peace at any point in the 35-second video.

Continued International Participation

Despite the controversy, Atal has played three matches for Algeria since the incident and is expected to participate in the upcoming Cup of Nations, which begins on January 13th in Ivory Coast.