Retired French international and former Real Madrid star Karim Benzema has filed a defamation lawsuit against France's interior minister Gerald Darmanin. Benzema's action follows the minister's comment on the footballer in October last year. (More Football News)
Darmanin had accused Benzema of having "a notorious link" with the Muslim Brotherhood, which is a Sunni Muslim Islamist group. The 36-year-old Benzema, who now represents Saudi Arabia club Al-Ittihad, had refuted the allegation and threatened legal action against the minister for slander.
Now, the footballer's lawyer Hugues Vigier has filed a 92-page complaint against Darmanin, stating that the latter's comment "undermines" Benzema's honour and reputation. Vigier added that the footballer is the victim of "political exploitation" and accused the interior minister of "sowing division in France".
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In his complaint, Benzema said he "has never had the slightest link with the Muslim Brotherhood organisation, nor to (his) knowledge with anyone who claims to be a member of it". Benzema further said: "I am aware of the extent to which, because of my notoriety, I am being used in political games, which are all the more scandalous given that the dramatic events since October 7 deserve something quite different from this type of statement."
The minister's comment in October 2023 had come after Benzema posted a message on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), expressing his support for the people of Gaza as "victims again of unjust bombardments which spare neither women nor children".
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Darmanin had reacted by saying that the former France striker was "well-known for his links with the Muslim Brotherhood". He had added, "We are fighting the hydra that is the Muslim Brotherhood, because it creates an atmosphere of jihadism."
The Muslim Brotherhood is banned in many countries, including Egypt, Russia and Saudi Arabia.
