Life Sentence for Dahbia Benkired: A Case That Shakes France

On Friday, the Paris Court of Appeal delivered a historic ruling, sentencing Dahbia Benkired, a 27-year-old Algerian woman, to the most severe category of life imprisonment under French law. This decision stems from the heinous crime of raping, torturing, and murdering 12-year-old Lola Daviet—a case that has captured public attention and ignited political debate across the country. Benkired has now become the first woman in France to receive the so-called 'réclusion à perpétuité incompressible,' which is a life sentence that allows for conditional release only after 30 years of incarceration—eight years longer than a standard life sentence. Such sentences are rarely imposed, with notable past recipients including Michel Fourniret—a notorious serial killer who passed away in 2021—and Salah Abdeslam, a key figure in the 2015 Paris terror attacks. The tragic events unfolded on October 14, 2022, when Lola Daviet left school and began her journey home to her apartment in the 19th arrondissement of Paris, where her parents were caretakers. During her return, Lola encountered Benkired, who forcibly led her into an elevator and took her to her sister's apartment on the sixth floor. There, the young girl was subjected to brutal rape and torture before she was ultimately killed. Benkired disposed of Lola's body in a trunk, which was later discovered in the building's garden just hours after the crime was committed. Security footage depicting Benkired entering the building with the girl and exiting with the trunk confirmed her involvement, leading to her arrest and charges shortly thereafter. The case generated widespread discussion in recent years, particularly due to Benkired's immigration status. She had been living in France with an expired residence permit and had only recently been notified of a deportation order, known in France as an OQTF, which means 'obligation to leave French territory.' Initially arriving legally in 2016 as a student, Benkired's visa expired, and despite being stopped at a French airport in August 2022 for lacking proper documentation, she was not detained due to having no prior criminal record. Instead, she was granted 30 days to depart France. Following the murder, right-wing groups, including the Rassemblement National led by Marine Le Pen and Éric Zemmour's Reconquête party, exploited the incident to criticize the government's immigration policies, advocating for an overhaul of the OQTF system. Meanwhile, Lola's family has consistently urged that their daughter's tragic death not be politicized. The trial for Benkired, which lasted a week, sought to establish whether she had acted with full mental capacity at the time of the murder. During police investigations, Benkired made various statements, some delusional in nature, claiming she had been a victim of rape and domestic violence. Her sister described Benkired as suffering from depression following the deaths of their parents in 2019 and 2020, suggesting her mental state had deteriorated in the time leading up to the murder. Despite these claims and being forcibly committed to a psychiatric hospital since February 2023, psychiatric experts concluded that Benkired did not exhibit any mental disorders that would warrant a reduction of her sentence. They noted traits of narcissism and psychopathy, but ultimately determined she was mentally competent to stand trial. As France grapples with the social and political implications of this case, the sentence handed down to Benkired serves not only as a legal verdict but also as a reflection of the complex issues surrounding crime, immigration, and mental health in contemporary society. The case remains a focal point of ongoing discussions and highlights the tragic loss of a young life that ripples beyond the courtroom and into the heart of public discourse. Related Sources: • Source 1 • Source 2