Paris prosecutors open an investigation after a Paraguayan lawmaker’s social media comments targeting France football captain Kylian Mbappé. The inquiry follows posts by Celeste Amarilla, a Paraguayan opposition lawmaker, after France beat Paraguay 1–0 in a World Cup match on Saturday. Amarilla describes Mbappé using insults tied to his perceived origin and ethnicity, and makes derogatory comments about his appearance and identity. French authorities act after the French Football Federation (FFR/FFF) files a complaint to France’s national unit for combating online hate.
According to the Paris public prosecutor’s office, the investigation concerns whether the remarks amount to an aggravated public insult made because of the victim’s true or presumed origin, ethnicity, nationality, race or religion. The office says the offences under consideration can carry penalties including one year in prison and a fine of 45,000 euros. The prosecutor’s role is to direct investigations and decide whether to pursue legal proceedings, which does not automatically mean an arrest warrant or a trial. The remarks draw condemnation from football and human rights figures, with Mbappé’s club and the UN human rights office spokesman among those criticising the abuse.
