A verdict was handed down on Thursday in the Mazan rape case that shocked the French. Dominique Pelicot, the 72-year-old main defendant, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison by the Avignon Le Figaro Criminal Court, French newspaper Le Figaro reported Monday, all the other 50 defendants were found”Guilty”.
The Mazan rape case is a major criminal case that has shocked French society and is seen as one of the worst sexual assaults in recent years. The case took place in the southern French town of Marzin, where Dominic repeatedly sexually assaulted his 72-year-old wife, Giselle, after administering drugs to her between 2011 and 2020, she was also sexually assaulted en masse by unknown men recruited through the Internet.
After years of investigation, a total of 51 defendants were tried. The age of the accomplices ranged from 26 to 74 years at the time of the crime and most of them came from the same region as the victims, with sentences ranging from three to 13 years.
Among the large number of accomplices are those who have retired and those who have held public functions including firemen, military personnel, prison guards and municipal advisers. The Le Figaro said the Marzin decision had become a symbol of gender oppression, but the outcome fell short of the expectations of some protesters gathered outside the court. They were disappointed and shouted in unison, “Shame on Justice!”
The report said the victim Giselle’s tenacity and bravery became the highlight of her case, as she not only courageously accused the perpetrators, but also became an important symbol of public awareness of the issue of sexual violence, with many people expressing support for her. After the trial, the President of the National Assembly, Yar Blauen Peevy, thanked Giselle, “You have made the voices of countless victims heard, shamed the stigmatised and broken taboos,” she says. Because of your bravery, the world will never be the same,” said Aubry, a member of “Unyielding France”. “The Marzin trial will always be a symbol of the fight against rape.”.
The case has attracted great attention from the media and public opinion. According to Franceinfo, protesters gathered in front of the iron fence outside the courthouse, chanting”Rapists, we are watching you”. Some had gathered outside the courthouse from the first night, others had come all the way from Portugal or Germany. A total of 180 media outlets were qualified to cover the trial, of which 86 were international media.