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Nahel Merzouk: Why the police officer is not liable for life!
After the death of 17-year-old Nahel Merzouk in a police operation in Nanterre in 2023, legal questions and protests are coming into focus.
Nahel Merzouk: Why the police officer is not liable for life!
On June 27, 2023, 17-year-old Nahel Merzouk was shot at close range in Nanterre by a French police officer while driving a vehicle without a license and refusing to stop during a traffic stop. Nahel died shortly after the shooting, an incident that caused huge public outrage and led to weeks of unrest across France. During the clashes, numerous shops were looted, public buildings were destroyed and hundreds of people were injured. The AP News commemorates these events.
The police officer, whose identity is known as Florian M., was charged with murder. However, false legal claims are circulating on social media, particularly the suggestion that he could risk life in prison if it is found that he lied about Nahel driving towards him. However, such an assumption has no legal basis, because lying is not considered an aggravating circumstance. Rather, he is charged with murder under Article 221-1 of the French Penal Code, which carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, as stated Lessurligneurs emphasizes.
Reactions and social consequences
The incident provoked not only legal but also social reactions. Thousands of people protested against police violence, with many highlighting ongoing problems such as poverty, discrimination and high unemployment in disadvantaged neighborhoods. Also receiving particular attention was the fact that Merzouk was of North African descent, which has reinforced the idea of systemic racism within the French authorities.
An investigation revealed that the officer did not act lawfully during the traffic stop. According to the prosecutor, video footage highlighted two officers standing at the window of the vehicle while one pointed his gun at Nahel. This led to the conclusion that the use of weapons was not justified. In addition, since 2017, cases of fatal police violence have increased dramatically in France, particularly when people disobey police officers or attempt to escape. According to Amnesty International, the use of lethal force in such cases increased fivefold.
Legal classification and perspectives
The investigation and upcoming trial in 2026 will focus on whether the police officer acted with intent to kill. Possible legal qualifications include murder or intentional violence resulting in death without any intent to kill. In order to increase the sentence to life imprisonment, aggravating circumstances would have to be proven, which do not exist in this case. However, the legal framework could continue to evolve during the process.
These tragic incidents highlight the urgent need for reforms in dealing with police violence and effective protection of minorities. Human rights organizations such as Amnesty are calling for a revision of the guidelines for the use of weapons and a fight against systemic racism within the police force. The demand for justice for Nahel Merzouk persists across all political and social spheres, which is also documented by [Amnesty](https://www.amnesty.de/informieren/aktuell/frankreich-nahel-polizeiviolent-schuss Waffennutz-reformieren-rassismus-beenden).