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French policeman charged with homicide over death of Palestinian man in custody

January 15, 2025 at 11:26 am

French National Police Search and Intervention (BRI) teams along with police patrol as security measures heighten prior to the UEFA Nations League A Group A2 football match between France and Israel in northern suburb Saint-Denis of Paris, France on November 14, 2024 [Mohamad Salaheldin Abdelg Alsayed – Anadolu Agency]

French authorities have charged a policeman with voluntary homicide after a Palestinian man was beaten to death during his arrest in 2023 in the capital, Paris, local media reported.

According to reports, the Paris Public Prosecutor’s Office charged the policeman, a dual French-Israeli citizen, on Monday, with homicide for assaulting 43-year-old Tamer Miskir during his arrest.

The incident occurred on 17 August 2023 at the eastern train station in Paris, where the victim was arrested during a fight, handcuffed and placed in a police car. While inside the car, the police officer assaulted him, severely beating him on the head, face and neck, causing him to lose consciousness.

Despite his injuries, the victim was transferred to the police station and later to the hospital for treatment.

On 24 August, Tamer died due to “violent blows to the head and neck area”, an autopsy revealed.

Later that month, the Paris Public Prosecutor’s Office opened a criminal investigation against the police officer on charges of “homicide”.

Despite the lack of surveillance camera footage of the incident, the prosecution relied mainly on testimonies of other police officers who were present at the scene during the assault.

For his part, the police officer claimed he acted in self-defence against the handcuffed victim.

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