Two Afghan nationals have avoided immediate jail time in France after being found guilty of stabbing another Afghan male in a violent brawl in the western town of Parthenay earlier this month.
The defendants, aged 26 and 28, were arrested and held in pre-trial detention for group violence following the fight in front of Le Baratin bar on rue Jean-Jaurès in the French town during the night of April 14 to 15.
The altercation left two individuals seriously injured — one of whom is believed to be one of the perpetrators.
On Tuesday, the criminal court in Niort heard how the two Afghan males embarked on an aggravated assault on the night in question, with witnesses describing scenes of bloodshed, suggesting knives had been used.
The victim suffered stab wounds to the head and shoulder, while one of the accused was still recovering from his own injuries, appearing in court with a head bandage and one of his arms in a sling.
The court heard how the 28-year-old defendant arrived in France as an asylum seeker in 2018 but had his asylum request refused three times. He is the father of an 11-year-old also living in France, which suggests the difficulty in returning him to his home country.
The younger defendant had been granted refugee status, having also arrived in 2018 and had no prior criminal convictions. Despite both being in France for seven years, they spoke only through an interpreter during the hearing.
As reported by La Nouvelle République, the court reviewed CCTV footage, which showed the eventual victim stopping a car near the suspects, then walking toward the bar before the violence began. “You’re seen running after him. He heads toward the bar, and that’s when the violence starts,” the magistrate said.
The bartender on duty witnessed the scene unfold and described the attackers as overtaken by rage, which rendered her unable to intervene. “We made a big mistake,” one of the accused admitted. “We just wanted to explain ourselves. He had been threatening us for years. He scares people,” he said of the victim, who works for an integration association in the area.
Defense attorney Olivier Martinez echoed this characterization of the victim. “It doesn’t excuse their actions,” he said, “but the man who now claims victimhood could just as well be sitting in their place today. He’s known in the neighborhood for intimidating others. Maybe alcohol gave them the courage to push back.”
The prosecution, however, rejected any attempt to shift blame. “Based on testimony and video footage, I’ve closed the defendants’ counter-complaints against the victim. I ruled out self-defense,” the prosecutor stated, requesting 10 months of imprisonment for each.
The court, however, opted for leniency. Both men were sentenced to 15 months in prison, suspended, effectively allowing them to walk free following the hearing.
