Prosecutors seek jail terms of up to 20 years in France's mass rape trial

RFI

27 November 2024 at 8:53 am·1-min read

Frenchwoman Gisele Pelicot, the victim of an alleged mass rape orchestrated by her then-husband Dominique Pelicot, at the courthouse in Avignon on 27 November, 2024.

French prosecutors have demanded prison sentences of up to 20 years for 51 men accused of participating in the repeated drugging and rape of Gisèle Pelicot over a decade. The trial, known as the Mazan rape case, has shocked the nation and gained global attention as a symbol in the fight against sexual violence.

The heaviest sentence requested is for Dominique Pelicot, Gisèle's former husband, who prosecutors say orchestrated the attacks by sedating her with tranquillisers and inviting strangers he met online to assault her.

The sentences range from four years for the least-involved defendant to 20 years, reflecting the severity of each accused’s role in the crimes.

"With your verdict, you will show that ordinary rape does not exist. That accidental or involuntary rape does not exist,” said Laure Chabaud, one of two public prosecutors at the criminal court in Vaucluse told the court.

“You will deliver a message of hope to victims of sexual violence. You will return a part of her stolen humanity to Gisèle Pelicot."

Tough sentences

The sentences requested are significantly higher than the average for rape cases in France, which was 11.1 years in 2022, according to the Ministry of Justice. Prosecutors argue that the gravity of the crimes in this case demands tougher penalties.

The prosecution laid out detailed sentencing requests after 11 weeks of hearings.

Dominique Pelicot has acknowledged his actions throughout the trial. "I am guilty of what I did... I ruined everything, I lost everything. I must pay," he said early on in the proceedings.

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Tough sentences

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