A writer who labeled a Swiss journalist a “fat lesbian” was sentenced to two months in prison.

A Swiss provocateur, identified as Alain Bonnet, and known by the pseudonym Alain Soral, has been slapped with a 60-day prison term and hefty fines by a Lausanne court. The controversial figure, a French-Swiss writer and political commentator, faced charges of defamation, discrimination, and incitement to hatred in relation to an incident that occurred two years ago.

The court’s decision stems from a Facebook video where Soral targeted Catherine Macherel, a journalist associated with Swiss publications Tribune de Geneve and 24 Heures. In the video, Soral referred to Macherel as a ‘fat lesbian’ and criticized her work as a ‘queer activist,’ labeling her as ‘unhinged,’ as reported by Swiss public broadcaster RTS.

The legal repercussions extend beyond imprisonment, with Soral also being mandated to cover substantial legal fees and fines in Swiss francs.

In response to the verdict, LGBTQ+ rights advocates hailed the court’s stance. Murial Waeger, co-director of the lesbian activist group LOS, emphasized the significance of the ruling, stating, ‘This court decision is an important moment for justice and the rights of LGBTQI people in Switzerland.’ Waeger continued by affirming that the conviction sends a robust message against homophobic hatred, emphasizing that such sentiments cannot be tolerated in society.

However, Pascal Junod, Soral’s legal representative, criticized the conviction as a ‘crime of opinion.’ Junod contended that the case aimed to scrutinize whether an individual had ‘sinned against the dogmas of single thought.’ In response to the ruling, Junod announced Soral’s intention to appeal the decision, first to the Swiss federal court and, if necessary, to the European Court of Human Rights.