Ten individuals are facing potential sentences of up to two years in prison each for allegedly engaging in sexist cyberbullying directed at French first lady Brigitte Macron. Seven of the accused, referred to as ‘trolls,’ appeared in court today, facing charges of harassing Ms. Macron to the extent that it caused a significant decline in her physical and mental well-being.
The defendants, comprising one woman and six men, are accused of spreading false claims that the 72-year-old first lady was originally male and insinuating that she engaged in abusive behavior with her husband, President Emmanuel Macron, when he was a child. If found guilty of cyberbullying Ms. Macron, all the accused could be sentenced to two years in prison.
Although ten people have been charged in connection to the case, three failed to show up for the commencement of their trial at the Paris Correctional Court. Amandine Roy, also known as Delphine Jegousse, a 53-year-old clairvoyant, was among those present for the proceedings. Roy allegedly made defamatory statements regarding Ms. Macron on a lengthy YouTube video, where she claimed that Ms. Macron was born as a male named Jean-Michel Trogneux in 1953, which was actually the name of Brigitte’s brother.
During the trial, Roy was accused of contributing to the online harassment of Brigitte Macron, resulting in severe negative impacts on her health. Ms. Macron was not physically present in court but was represented by her lawyer. The defendants maintain their innocence, arguing that their freedom of speech is being infringed upon due to their criticism of a prominent figure in French politics.
The trial is chiefly centered on numerous harmful comments pertaining to Brigitte Macron’s gender, sexuality, and age gap with her husband, which have led to comparisons with child abuse. The Paris prosecutors’ spokesman highlighted that the cyberbullying complaint filed by Brigitte Macron in August 2021 could result in a two-year prison term for the offenders.
Among those implicated is Aurelien Poirson-Atlan, known as ‘Zoe Sagan’ on social media. His defense lawyer, Juan Branco, criticized the prosecution for allegedly having political motives and argued that the case revolves around the defendants’ right to express their opinions freely.
The marriage of the Macrons has been a subject of controversy due to its unconventional origins. The relationship between Emmanuel Macron and Brigitte Auzière, his former drama teacher, began when he was a student at La Providence high school in 1992. The couple eventually married in 2007, preceding Emmanuel Macron’s unexpected victory in the French presidential election as an independent candidate.