Le Pen published the photos in response to a journalist who had compared the far right to jihadi militants. The Front National politician faces up to three years in prison if found guilty.
Image: Imago/PanoramiC/S. Caillet
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Prosecutors on Thursday charged the leader of France's far-right Front National party (FN), Marine Le Pen, for posting three violent images of atrocities suspected of having been committed by the terrorist group "Islamic State" (IS).
The charges against Le Pen include sharing "violent messages that incite terrorism or pornography or seriously harm human dignity." She faces up to three years in prison and a €75,000 ($91,000) fine if convicted.
The photos, which were accompanied by the caption "This is IS," showed the beheaded body of American journalist James Foley, a man being burned alive in a cage, and a tank crushing another man.
The FN leader was responding to a journalist who had compared the French far right to IS. She later deleted the photo of Foley after a request from the journalist's family.
Embattled leader
The charges are the latest legal headache for Le Pen ahead of the FN's March 10-11 party congress.
Sluggish economic growth, dissatisfaction over the European Union's policies and the migration crisis have led to the electoral success of right-wing parties across Europe.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
Frauke Petry, Alternative for Germany (AfD)
The leader of the Alternative for Germany, Frauke Petry, said police could use guns as a last resort to prevent illegal border crossings, pointing out "that's the law." What began as a euroskeptic party has turned into an anti-establishment and anti-EU force, claiming up to 25 percent of votes in German state elections in March 2016 and taking second place in Chancellor Angela Merkel's home state.
Image: Reuters/W. Rattay
Marine Le Pen, National Front (France)
Many believe Brexit and Donald Trump's victory in the US presidential elections could give new impetus to France's National Front. Established in 1972 and now led by Marine Le Pen, who took over from her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, in 2011, the National Front is a nationalist party that uses populist rhetoric to promote its anti-immigration and anti-EU positions.
Image: Reuters
Geert Wilders, Party for Freedom (The Netherlands)
The leader of the Dutch Party for Freedom, Geert Wilders, is one of Europe's most prominent right-wing politicians. He was convicted in December for asking a crowd in 2014 if they wanted more or fewer Moroccans in the country, but no penalty was imposed. His party is considered anti-EU and anti-Islam. It is leading polls ahead of next year's parliamentary elections and currently holds 15 seats.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/S. Koning
Nikos Michaloliakos, Golden Dawn (Greece)
Nikos Michaloliakos is the head of Greece's neo-fascist party Golden Dawn. He was arrested in September 2013 along with dozens of other party members and charged with forming a criminal organization. Michaloliakos was released in July 2015. Golden Dawn won 18 seats in parliamentary elections in September 2016. The party holds anti-immigrant views and favors a defense agreement with Russia.
Image: Angelos Tzortzinis/AFP/Getty Images
Gabor Vona, Jobbik (Hungary)
Hungary's anti-immigration, populist and economic protectionist party Jobbik aspires to be in the government by 2018. Now Hungary's third-largest party, it won 20 percent of votes in the last elections held in 2014. It wants a referendum on EU membership. Jobbik also advocates criminalizing "sexual deviancy," submitting a bill targeting homosexuals in 2012. Jobbik is headed by Gabor Vona.
Image: picture alliance/dpa
Jimmie Akesson, Sweden Democrats
After Trump's election, Sweden Democrats leader Jimmie Akesson said in an interview with Swedish TV: "There is a movement in both Europe and the United States where the establishment is being challenged. It is clearly happening here as well." The Sweden Democrats call for restricting immigration, are against allowing Turkey to join the EU and want a referendum on EU membership.
Image: AP
Norbert Hofer, Freedom Party (Austria)
Norbert Hofer of Austria's nationalist Freedom Party lost the recent presidential runoff by a mere 30,000 votes, after being front-runner in the first round. Former Green party leader Alexander Van der Bellen won 50.3 percent of the vote, with Hofer gaining 49.7 percent. The Freedom Party's leader campaigns for the strengthening of the country's borders and limiting benefits for immigrants.
Image: Reuters/L. Foeger
Marian Kotleba, People's Party - Our Slovakia
The leader of the hard-right People's Party - Our Slovakia, Marian Kotleba, has said, "Even one immigrant is one too many." On another occasion, he called NATO a "criminal organization." This Slovak party favors leaving the EU as well as the eurozone. It won 8 percent of the vote in March 2016 elections, securing 14 seats in the country's 150-member parliament.
