Nice: A French court on Friday confirmed overturning the decision to close College Avicenne in Nice, according to broadcaster BFM TV. The Marseille Administrative Court of Appeal upheld the annulment of the prefectural order to close the Muslim school, ruling that accounting errors did not justify such a drastic measure.

According to Anadolu Agency, the closure order, signed in March 2024, was initially suspended a month later in an emergency ruling by the Nice administrative court. This was followed by a thorough review in July 2024, leading to the annulment of the closure order by the same court.

The prefecture's order for closure was based on discrepancies involving loans converted into a donation totaling £476,000 (approximately $550,608) in favor of the school, as well as a loan granted by the school to one of its donors.

The appellate judges determined that permanently closing the school was "disproportionate," given "the minor nature of the association's errors and inaccuracies." They suggested that the prefect could have opted for a temporary closure instead.