Slain teacher 'martyr for freedom of expression, says French imam

French imam, Hassen Chalghoumi has said rectors of mosques, imams, parents, civil society groups should "wake up" calling the slain teacher "martyr for freedom of expression".

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"(The teacher) is a martyr for freedom of expression, and a wise man who has taught tolerance, civilisation and respect for others," Chalghoumi said.

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Hassen Chalghoumi, imam of the Paris suburb of Drancy's mosque.

"We need to end the victimisation discourse. We all have rights in France, like everyone else. Parents should tell their children about the good that exists in theRepublic," he added, asserting,"If parents don't do that well they need to be punished."

Chalghoumi comments come as France mourns the killing of a teacher who was beheaded last week in Paris suburb of Conflans-Sainte-Honorine after he showed pictures of Prophet Mohammed. He would ask Muslim students to leave the class as a mark of respect.

Chalghoumi said the slain teacher Samuel Paty taught about "tolerance, about civilisation and the respect of others".

"They need to understand and the parents need to commit to teach and show their children that for a caricature, for a picture someone gets decapitated? But where are we? This is not Islam, sorry, it's not religion, it's Islamism, it's the poison of Islam," the Imam said.

"We teach and we use the pictures and next Friday all of France's mosques should pray for this teacher," he added.

Meanwhile, reports said at least fifteen people have been detained so far, including four pupils who may have helped the killer as law enforcement agencies carried out 40 raids on Monday in Paris suburb.

A silent rally has been planned on Tuesday evening, with a ceremony on Wednesday at the Sorbonne to be attended by President Emmanuel Macron.