French influencer and model Warda Anwar has been handed a 10-month suspended prison sentence following her derisive remarks about the murder of an Israeli baby, an act committed by Hamas. The sentence came in response to a complaint filed by French-Jewish Member of Parliament Meir Habib.
Habib expressed his satisfaction with the verdict, stating, "Justice has been served for the heinous mockery of the tragic murder of a Jewish baby. The laughter and enjoyment she exhibited in her video is now rightly replaced with accountability. This sentencing sends a clear message against terrorism and its sympathizers."
The incident that led to Anwar's arrest and subsequent sentencing involved a disturbing video where she made insensitive and controversial comments about a report of a Jewish baby allegedly burned alive by Hamas. Anwar, also known under the pseudonym ‘Haneia Nakei,’ sparked widespread outrage with her remarks.
In the video, Anwar is heard discussing the incident with a friend, off-camera but audible. "I'll share my unfiltered thoughts," Anwar said. "Whenever I hear this story about the baby put in the oven, I wonder if they added salt, pepper, maybe thyme? How did they cook him? What was served with him? Don't you wonder?" Her friend responds with further distasteful remarks about possible side dishes, to which Anwar agrees.
Immediate and intense backlash
The backlash was immediate and intense, with many calling for legal action against Anwar. Habib, who has been a vocal advocate for Jewish rights and against antisemitism, took the lead in pursuing legal recourse.
In his Twitter post, Habib condemned the act, equating it to Holocaust denial and stating, "This is a horror that recalls Nazi cruelty! A Jewish baby was murdered and placed in an oven in front of his parents by Hamas, and this sub-human finds it funny! It's an inconceivable form of Holocaust denial in 2023!"
Anwar's sentence includes a 24-month probation period and a requirement to pay 9,000 Euros in damages.