3-month sentence recommended for Montreal neo-Nazi in hate speech case
The prosecution and defence for a Montreal neo-Nazi who was found guilty of wilfully promoting hatred recommended he serve three months of jail time with two years of probation.
Gabriel Sohier-Chaput, 36, authored hundreds of articles in the far-right publication The Daily Stormer under the pseudonym "Charles Zeiger." He was found guilty in the Court of Quebec on Jan. 23.
Sohier-Chaput's lawyer submitted his request for an appeal in February.
The lawyers said Wednesday the joint recommendation is based on a pre-sentencing report, which evaluated Sohier-Chaput's psychological state between the verdict and sentencing. CBC News obtained a redacted copy of the eight-page report.
"What is most worrisome is the joy he took to writing, as he says, 'things that we cannot say because of history,'" says the report.
Quebec court Judge Manlio Del Negro pushed back against both lawyers, pointing out that similar cases resulted in much harsher sentences. He pointed to the anti-feminist blogger who was sentenced to 12 months of jail time for praising Montreal's École Polytechnique shooter in January, among others.
Del Negro said he and the lawyers "must not have read the same report" as the profile painted in it was "extremely negative."
"With respect, your common suggestion for the sentence trivializes the infraction," he said.
'Opportunistic' apology
Sohier-Chaput's lawyer, Antonio Cabral — who took over from Hélène Poussard following a complaint she filed against Del Negro — argued three months of jail time and a two year probation period would be a "dissuasive" and "fair" sentence.
Sohier-Chaput testified that he "has changed" and used to be "very politicized" but is now "focusing on his personal life." He says he has done some volunteer work — one day of checking tickets at a music festival — and is looking into therapy. However, he said therapy is expensive and wait lists are long, so he hasn't been able to start yet.
Sohier-Chaput also said the high-profile case and media coverage hindered his employability. He was fired from his job three days after being found guilty and it took him five months before finding another job despite doing interviews, he said.
"I recognize I could have made some people sad and brought on negative emotions. I regret it and apologize because it wasn't my intention," he told the court in a monotone voice.
The judge called Sohier-Chaput's apology "opportunistic" and said he had tried to defend his actions rather than show remorse in previous testimonies, including the pre-sentencing report. The report says he expressed no remorse.
When presenting his guilty verdict in January, Del Negro called Sohier-Chaput "extremely dangerous to the public" and ordered he be handcuffed immediately.
'Hate is not acceptable'
The vice-president of the Quebec chapter of Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, Eta Yudin, testified on the impact of online antisemitism before the court. She said online hate translates to physical violence and pointed to statistics showing crimes against Jewish people in Canada reached record levels in 2021.
"I think the time is now to send the message loud and clear that antisemitism and hate is not acceptable in our society, that hiding behind some kind of anonymity online isn't really a shield," she said.
Henry Topas, Quebec regional director of B'nai Brith Canada, said a three-month sentence would not be dissuasive enough, but that he is happy the judge seemed to recognize this.
"I believe [a three-month jail sentence] sends no message, period," he said.
"What will stop another person from doing the same hateful acts against Jewish people, other races and other minorities in Quebec? It's not acceptable."
Sentencing will take place Sept. 22.
