Salah Abdeslam, who was sentenced to life in prison for the November 13, 2015 attack, wants to “open the door to the civil side” through a “restorative justice” approach, his lawyer said on Tuesday.
“We have someone who is trying to access education, someone who also expressed an apology to the civil side during his trial, who wants to be able to explain the situation and maybe have a discussion, opening the door for the civil side, if they want, to be able to discuss the detention and discussion of this trial,” said Me Olivia Ronen on franceinfo.
“That has been disclosed and is a request that has also been made by certain civil parties to be able to contact him,” he assured.
🔴 “Salah Abdeslam is still radicalized”, according to DGSI director ➡️ “There are things going in the opposite direction. There is someone who tried to access education, who has apologized to the civil authorities, said Olivia Ronen, Salah Abdeslam’s lawyer pic.twitter.com/YAesyOjuBc
— france info (@franceinfo) November 11, 2025
“This is really a principle of restorative justice where the people who are accused and the people who are victims of offenses succeed in doing more than just the goal, I know we are still far from that, but the goal is social calm,” explained the lawyer further.
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Arthur Dénouveaux, Bataclan survivor and president of the Life for Paris association, responded to this
💬 “Sometimes I have hatred and anger, but I think it’s very healthy…”
Arthur Dénouveaux, a survivor of the Bataclan and president of the “Life of Paris” association, gave his testimony regarding the November 13 attacks.
📺 Can be found in full at franceinfo #channel16 pic.twitter.com/UqrJ9RA7TS— france info (@franceinfo) November 7, 2025
Restorative justice, which has emerged over the last ten years in France, does not replace criminal justice. Meetings between perpetrators and victims of the same offense, but not the same case, are the most well-known acts. There are other mechanisms, such as restorative mediation, that bring together victims and perpetrators in the same case.
Salah Abdeslam is still “radicalized”
The sole surviving member of the hit commando squad of November 13, 2015, who was imprisoned in Vendin-le-Vieil (Pas-de-Calais) prison, was detained by police twice last week then released and remanded in custody, in an investigation into possession of a USB key that the national anti-terrorism prosecutor’s office (Pnat) said contained documents “related to the official propaganda of the terrorist organization, the Islamic State or Al-Qaeda”. Pnat asked for “further charges.”
This key was given to him during a visit to the visiting room by his former colleague, Maëva B., who was doubly accused and imprisoned. He is also suspected of being involved in the foiled attack plan.
On Monday, Director General of Homeland Security Céline Berthon confirmed that Salah Abdeslam, who is still “radicalized”, was “not involved” in this planned attack.
France will commemorate on Thursday, as a day of respect for the victims, of the November 13, 2015 attacks in Paris and Saint-Denis, which left 132 people dead – including two Bataclan suicide victims who suffered deep psychological wounds.
