EU Lawmaker Rima Hassan Faces Trial for Terrorism Support

French prosecutors are seeking a ten-month suspended prison sentence for Rima Hassan, a Member of the European Parliament, on charges of "praising terrorism." The case stems from a social media post on March 26th where Hassan quoted Japanese terrorist Kozo Okamoto, who led the 1972 Lod Airport massacre. Okamoto's words, "I dedicated my youth to Palestine. As long as oppression exists, resistance is not only a right but a duty," were shared by Hassan, though the post was later deleted. Hassan was arrested in Paris on April 2nd, 2026. While substances resembling synthetic drugs were found in her possession, the drug possession charges were dropped on April 9th due to insufficient evidence. This is not the first time Hassan has faced accusations of supporting terrorism. In December 2024, a complaint was filed against her for a post suggesting that if French-Israelis can serve in the IDF, then French-Palestinians should be allowed to join Palestinian armed resistance. Hassan, who represents France in the European Parliament, is known for her anti-Israel stance and has been denied entry to Israel three times. In February 2025, she was deported upon arrival at Ben Gurion Airport. She was also detained and deported in June 2025 while participating in a flotilla heading to Gaza, and again in October of the same year during another flotilla. Hassan, born in a Syrian refugee camp, has been accused by Israel of campaigning in support of Hamas and publicly calling for boycotts of companies operating in Israel. She has also advocated for sanctions against Israel and accused the country of apartheid. In a separate incident on October 5th, 2026, Hassan was filmed dropping Israeli and EU flags at an exhibition commemorating victims of the October 7th attacks. The President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, stated that the accusations against Hassan are being taken "very seriously."