Five people were indicted for kidnapping, assault, torture, and rape of a 15-year-old male teenager in Auxerre (Yonne) in a Muslim housing estate.
The indictment, which was issued on Sept. 14, described how the victim was abducted on Sept. 11 by five boys who dragged him out of his apartment to the top of the tower block. There, they began to beat him.
He was then forcibly transported to a nearby forest, where they stripped him naked and began to punch him, kick him, and beat him with sticks.
The boys then grabbed a stick and penetrated the victim’s anus. After the beating, the victim was transported to the hospital due to his injuries and was out of school for over two weeks. He could not tell investigators how long he was beaten.
Investigators quickly arrested the five suspects, who were between the ages of 16 and 25. While three were under the age of 18, the two older suspects were placed in jail to await trial. The minors were released.
According to French newspaper JDD, all three suspects face up to 15 years in prison. They are being charged with torture, rape, and assault.
The incident where this incident occurred, a French housing estate in Auxerre, is described as a “sanctuary” for Muslims by the city’s own website.
“Since 2006, the new mosque, a place of worship and cultural center with unique architecture, has offered Auxerre’s Muslims a sanctuary in which to meditate. The redevelopment of Place Corot, the car park, building entrances, public lighting, and green spaces contributes to the renovation of Sainte-Geneviève,” reads the website’s description.