By Canadian Press

Quebec judge says three-month sentence could trivialize promotion of hate

Jul 12, 2023 | 2:40 PM

MONTREAL — A Quebec court judge says he fears a jail sentence of just three months for a man convicted of promoting hatred against Jews would trivialize the crime.

Both the prosecution and the defence today recommended a three-month sentence, followed by probation, for Gabriel Sohier Chaput, who was convicted in January in connection with an article he wrote for the neo-Nazi Daily Stormer website.

Defence lawyer Antonio Cabral told a Montreal court that his client is a changed man and is no longer involved with online neo-Nazis.

However, Judge Manlio Del Negro says a pre-sentencing report indicates that Sohier Chaput continues to hold the same views he did when he wrote the antisemitic article.

Del Negro also described an apology given by Sohier Chaput during the sentencing hearing as “opportunistic.”

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The judge says he’ll deliver his sentence on Sept. 22.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 12, 2023.

The Canadian Press