Paris, November 27: A trial begins on Monday for six minors who allegedly participated in the gruesome murder of Samuel Paty, a French teacher who was beheaded by a radical Islamist in 2020 after showing his students cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad. The trial will take place behind closed doors, as the accused were between 14 and 15 years old at the time of the crime. France: Houses of Jews Sprayed With ‘Stars of David’ in Suburbs of Paris in Backdrop of Israel-Palestine War (See Pics and Videos).

As per the media reports, the teenagers face charges of false accusation, premeditated criminal conspiracy, or ambush, depending on their role in identifying or tracking Paty for the killer, who was an 18-year-old Chechen-born Russian national shot dead by the police. The trial will last until December 8 and involves eight adults who will face a special criminal court. Paty’s murder shocked France, a secular country with a large Muslim population, and exposed the challenges faced by some teachers who try to teach about freedom of expression and religion. France Riots New Videos: Violence Spreads to Several Cities as Rioting Continues for Third Consecutive Day, Horrifying Footages of Arson and Looting Surface.

One of the minors is a 15-year-old girl who allegedly told her parents that Paty had shown caricatures of the prophet in her class. She will be charged with false accusation after it was established that she was not in the course when it happened. The five other minors to be prosecuted, aged between 14 and 15 at the time of the attack, will be charged with premeditated criminal conspiracy or ambush.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 27, 2023 04:53 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).