An anthropologist specializing in the influence of the Muslim Brotherhood in French institutions has been acquitted of defamation charges. Florence Bergeaud-Blackler was accused of libeling a doctoral student from Strasbourg by alleging the student was a proponent of Islamist entryism. The lawsuit stemmed from Bergeaud-Blackler’s claims regarding the spread of “frériste ideology” – a term referencing the Muslim Brotherhood – within French universities. The court’s decision suggests the anthropologist’s statements, while controversial, did not meet the legal threshold for defamation. The case has drawn attention to debates surrounding academic freedom and the discussion of Islamist influence in French society. The doctoral student had argued the accusations damaged her reputation and hindered her academic career.