The attacker who killed six Muslim men at a mosque in 2017 could apply for parole in 25 years, appeals to Quebec court rules.
A man convicted of fatally shooting six Muslims at a mosque in the Canadian province of Quebec in 2017 could apply for parole in 25 years, an appeals court has ruled that Alexandre Bisonette’s previous sentence was unconstitutional.
In a ruling Thursday, the Quebec Court of Appeal ruled that a continuous prison sentence, such as bisonet – which last year was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of 40 years of parole – violates protection against “cruel and unusual” sentences in Canada.
The court reduced his sentence to 25 years of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.
“It is worth remembering that this is not a 25-year sentence, but a lifetime in prison without the possibility of applying for parole 25 years ago. In other words, nothing guarantees that in 25 years … parole will be granted.
Abubaker Thabti, Abdelkrim Hassan, Khaled Belkasimi, Mamadou Tanou Berry, Ibrahima Berry and Azedine Sofia were among six men killed when Bissonet opened fire inside the Quebec Islamic Cultural Center in January 2017.
The attack, which occurred shortly after evening prayers and injured many worshipers, shocked Quebec and Canada.
“Disappointment is the only word that comes to our lips,” said Beufeldja Benabdallah, a spokesman for the Quebec City Mosque. Told local media Following the decision of the Court of Appeal on Thursday.
“We are not sure that (by the verdict) … justice has been done with the complex crime,” Benbadullah said, adding that the families of the victims would now be forced to remove their pain.
‘Our Hearts Are Breaking’
Bisonet was convicted of six counts of murder and six counts of attempted murder in connection with the attack, and a judge last year sentenced him to 40 years in prison without the possibility of parole.
At the time, the judge said Bisonet was motivated by “whistleblower hatred” for Muslim immigrants.
His lawyers, as well as his lawyers, challenged the sentence, however, the judge called for a section of the Canadian Criminal Code that could serve a continuous period without eligibility for parole.
The Court of Appeal said its decision did not reflect “the horrors of Alexandre Bisonet’s actions on January 29, 2017 or the impact of his crimes on the community and society in general”, but on the constitutionality of the provisions of the Criminal Code.
Many Quebec Muslims today – (those) all Quebec Muslims – ask the question whether the blood of Quebec Muslims is low (i.e.)
However, Yusuf Fakiri, a representative of the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM), a national Muslim advocacy group, said the court’s decision reflected a “basic double standard”.
“Our hearts are breaking,” Faqiri told Al Jazeera in a phone interview. Victims and wounded are still struggling to cope with the situation of the attack.
“He knows his life is worth less than the rest of the population.” “The question that many Quebec Muslims – [that] All Quebec Muslims – Today is asking if Quebec is the blood of Muslims [means] Less
Faqiri added that the NCCM would review the court’s decision and then decide on the next legal course.
Asked about the court’s decision during a news conference on Thursday afternoon, Quebec Premier Franકોois Legoult said the province’s justice minister would read the verdict and then comment.
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