In a statement, the Islamic Cultural Center of Quebec says the high court decision did not give due consideration to “the atrocity and scourge of multiple murders” or to the hateful, Islamophobic, racist nature of the crime.
Alexandre Bissonnette killed six men after evening prayers in January 2017 at the Quebec City mosque, and he eventually pleaded guilty to six counts of first-degree murder.
Five others were seriously injured in the attack, including one man who was left paraplegic and confined to a wheelchair.
The Supreme Court unanimous ruled today that Bissonnette must serve 25 years before being eligible for parole, striking down a 2011 Criminal Code provision that allowed for longer parole ineligibility periods in multiple-murder cases.
The members of the mosque say they are disappointed with the decision from the high court, but they say it allows them to close the legal chapter and focus on the future.
Source: globalnews.ca