The funeral of Shemseddine, a 15-year-old teenager beaten to death on Thursday April 4 in front of his college in Viry-Châtillon (Essonne), began Tuesday April 9 in the early afternoon at the Savigny-sur-Orge mosque in the most strict privacy, at the request of the family. She had asked on Monday “that her privacy be respected during this moment of contemplation” and that no media be present.
In the morning, the police installed barriers and tapes in the street leading to the mosque. A few police officers were guarding the entrance to the premises. Several dozen of Shemseddine's relatives arrived at the mosque early in the afternoon, including many teenagers. Women entered with white roses in their hands. “The residents are in a moment of contemplation and support from the family, who really need it,” declared Tuesday morning on Franceinfo the mayor of Viry-Châtillon, Jean-Marie Vilain.
For Karim, 16, who is waiting for friends in front of the mosque, “it’s very serious what happened, but above all it’s a surprise.” “We don’t often see this kind of aggression here,” adds this former student of Les Sablons college, where Shemseddine attended school. A white march will also be organized on Friday afternoon in the streets of the city to the college, Mr. Vilain announced on Monday.
Four indictments
Four young men were indicted for murder on the night of Sunday to Monday after the death of Shemseddine, violently attacked over a dispute involving the sister of two of them, the Evry prosecutor's office announced. Two of the defendants, a 20-year-old adult and a minor, were imprisoned while two other minors are temporarily incarcerated before an adversarial debate, scheduled for Wednesday.
According to the first elements of the investigation and the statements of the accused, cited by the Evry prosecutor, the two brothers learned, several days previously, that "their sister corresponded with people of her age on subjects relating to sexuality.” “We have no honor when four of us come together to hit someone, whoever they are, whatever the reason,” it’s “cowardice,” Mr. Vilain reacted to the AFPTV.
“There are no honor killings, there are only horror crimes,” reacted Tuesday the Minister of Justice, Eric Dupond-Moretti, when questioned during the question session at the government. “We have greatly strengthened our resources and we will continue to do so. We are going to present extremely clear, extremely strong measures in the coming weeks,” Gabriel Attal also affirmed, without further details, before the National Assembly. “For this start, we will continue to act, act everywhere, act in the streets, act in the classrooms, act in families for security, order and respect for authority in our country,” added the Prime Minister.
