The Paris criminal court sentenced Booba, whose real name is Élie Yaffa, to three months suspended prison sentence and a fine of 30,000 euros for cyber harassment and public insults of a discriminatory nature.
This decision concerns posts published on the social network X in January 2024, in a case involving journalist Linh-Lan Dao and essayist Tristan Mendès France. The rapper was being prosecuted for comments deemed discriminatory and for a series of messages that triggered a significant online backlash.
Messages posted on X are at the heart of the case.
The case dates back to January 2024. Booba had published several messages targeting Linh-Lan Dao, with references to her origins, and others targeting Tristan Mendès France, particularly regarding his name and appearance. These posts were examined by the courts as constituting discriminatory public insults.
For Linh-Lan Dao, the case also included aggravated cyberharassment. The journalist had filed a civil suit. Her lawyer denounced insults related to her client's origins, which were subsequently shared by numerous internet users.
A sentence less severe than the prosecution's request
At the hearing on April 1st, the prosecution had requested up to eight months' suspended imprisonment, a €30,000 fine, and mandatory participation in a course on combating online hate. The final judgment set the suspended prison sentence at three months, while maintaining the €30,000 fine.
An audience marked by the rapper's absence
The trial was held in Paris without Booba. An initial hearing, scheduled for December 2025, had already been postponed at the request of the defense, which cited the health of the rapper, who resides in the United States. The case was finally examined on April 1, 2026, and then adjourned for deliberation until June 2.
A new legal chapter for Booba
This conviction adds to several proceedings against the rapper. He remains implicated in other cases of online harassment, including the one against him by Magali Berdah, for which the Paris prosecutor's office has requested a trial, as well as another case concerning Demdem, Gims' ex-partner.
