The investigation into the death on May 17 in France of an octogenarian, probably pushed into the void by his neighbor, was widened on Friday to determine whether the facts are of an anti-Semitic nature, the AFP announced on Friday. French justice.
“Following elements collected on social networks and which have just been brought to the attention of the prosecution, the latter has decided to extend the referral to the investigating judges to the aggravating circumstance of an act committed because of the victim’s belonging to an ethnic group, a nation, a race or a specific religion, “said the prosecutor of the city of Lyon, Nicolas Jacquet. On the evening of May 17, the body of the 89-year-old man was discovered lifeless, directly above his building in Lyon.
The National Office for Vigilance against Anti-Semitism (BNCVA) recalled the “similarity” of this case with that of Sarah Halimi
His 51-year-old neighbour, whom he frequented regularly, is suspected of having pushed the old man from the 17th floor after an argument. He was charged and remanded in custody. The National Office for Vigilance against Anti-Semitism (BNVCA) had already announced in a press release on Sunday its intention to become a civil party in this case.
“The BNVCA cannot resolve itself in a context of rising anti-Semitism that an act of such barbarism is not studied with the required attention, in particular that of the context in which the neighbor was evolving”, wrote the association. She recalled the “similarity” of this case with that of Sarah Halimi, a Jewish sexagenarian killed and defenestrated in 2017 in Paris. His murderer had been considered criminally irresponsible.