University of Strasbourg: Florence Bergeaud-Blackler wins her legal battle

After more than a year of controversy, Florence Bergeaud-Blackler has won her case. The Strasbourg court has dismissed the defamation charges brought against the anthropologist by a doctoral student at the University of Strasbourg. A research fellow at the CNRS (French National Centre for Scientific Research), a specialist in the Muslim Brotherhood, and president of the European Centre for Research and Information on the Muslim Brotherhood (CERIF), the researcher was targeted after a message she posted on an X-rated website in March 2025.

In this publication, Florence Bergeaud-Blackler argued that "the Muslim Brotherhood ideology has gradually taken root in universities over the past thirty years," citing its growing influence on studies of contemporary Islam. The doctoral student in question filed a lawsuit, denouncing the defamatory statements as damaging to her reputation and safety.

The Strasbourg court, however, declared the proceedings null and void, ruling that the prosecution did not comply with the strict rules set forth in the law on freedom of the press. The case also highlighted the support provided by the University of Strasbourg to its student. According to information revealed by the JDD (Journal du Dimanche), the university president had notably reported the researcher's publications to the CNRS (French National Centre for Scientific Research) and contributed financially to her legal fees.

For Florence Bergeaud-Blackler and her supporters, this decision represents an important victory in the debate on the influence of political Islam within certain academic circles.