PARIS, FEB 16: A French court on Thursday threw out a defamation case brought by professional football player Karim Benzema against Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin.
The French 2022 Ballon dOr winner wrote on X, formerly Twitter, in October that Palestinian civilians in Gaza were in his prayers over what he called Israels "unjust bombardments" of the besieged territory, after the October 7 attacks on Israel by Palestinian militant group Hamas.
Darmanin, a tough-talking right-winger, on television on October 16 alleged the 36-year-old player for Saudi side Al-Ittihad had "well-known" ties with the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood group with origins in Egypt, which he described as a "hydra".
Benzema, who used to play for Real Madrid, said in his complaint last month the accusations "undermined" his honour and reputation.
A committee at the countrys only court empowered to prosecute politicians for alleged offenses committed while in government on Thursday found no grounds for any attack on his honour or reputation, top prosecutor Remy Heitz said. —AFP
