The Council of State, France’s highest administrative court, Tuesday held that controversial imam Hassan Iquioussen’s anti-Semitic and anti-woman remarks constitute “acts of explicit and deliberate provocation to discrimination or hatred” under France’s Civil Code, and Iquioussen’s deportation is justified.

The Minister of the Interior and Overseas Territories (MIOT) decided to deport Iquioussen from France to Morocco in July and withdrew his residence permit over “virulent anti-Semitic speech” and sermons calling for women’s “submission” to men. Later, an administrative court suspended the deportation decision. MIOT appealed against the order before the Council of State.

The court observed that “the expulsion decision was not manifestly disproportionate to the aims for which it was taken and did not seriously and manifestly illegally undermine the private and family life of Mr. Iquioussen.” MIOT’s Gerald Darmanin called the ruling “a big victory for the republic.”

Iquioussen’s lawyer Lucie Simon said that her client’s legal battle is not over, and he is still considering action in the European Court of Human Rights. CAGE, a UK-based NGO, said the move is part of a “broader prosecution of French Muslims” and accused France of “resorting to targeting individuals whose beliefs – political or not – are not in line with republican state beliefs.” CAGE also noted that Iquioussen has never been charged with or convicted of a crime.