France court convicts ten individuals for online abuse of First Lady News
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France court convicts ten individuals for online abuse of First Lady

A French court on Monday convicted ten individuals of cyberbullying charges related to spreading false claims about First Lady Brigitte Macron’s gender identity and personal life.

The defendants, eight men and two women, aged 41 to 65, received sentences ranging from cyberbullying awareness training to eight months of suspended imprisonment. One defendant received six months of imprisonment due to his absence from the trial proceedings. All defendants were ordered to complete cyberbullying awareness courses and jointly pay €10,000 ($11,700) in damages. Three individuals, considered to be the main instigators, also had their social media accounts suspended for six months.

Defendants were accused of posting “malicious comments” online which claimed President Emmanuel Macron’s wife was born a man and that the couple’s 24-year age gap amounted to pedophilia. Since Macron assumed the presidency in 2017, the couple’s age difference and previous student and teacher relationship have attracted significant public attention.

Presiding judge Thierry Donard characterized the statements as “malicious, degrading and insulting,” saying that the defendants were receiving sentences for “intentionally harming the complainant.” The court found that the use of the internet as a means of harassment constituted an aggravating circumstance.

Defendants were charged and convicted under Article 222-33-2-2 of the French Penal Code. The law punishes repeated harassment that degrades living conditions or impairs health, with penalties escalating to two years of imprisonment and €30,000 ($35,200) fines for offenses committed online.

The verdict reflects France’s growing framework to combat online harassment, which includes telephone hotlines for harassment and cyberbullying victims, as well as a mobile application allowing users to document and report abusive content.

The Macrons have also pursued legal action in the United States, filing a lawsuit against commentator Candace Owens, who created a video series, “Becoming Brigitte,” which pushes many of the same claims at the center of Monday’s convictions.

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