Gisèle Pelicot, whose testimony helped expose one of France’s most disturbing rape cases, returned to court on Monday for the appeal of one of the 51 men convicted of sexually assaulting her.
The appeal was filed by 44-year-old Husamettin Dogan, a former construction worker sentenced to nine years in prison for aggravated rape.
He was among the men who assaulted Pelicot after being recruited online by her husband, Dominique Pelicot, who drugged his wife over nearly a decade and invited strangers to rape her while she was unconscious.
Dogan claims he believed he was taking part in consensual sexual activity and did not realise the victim was unconscious.
His lawyer argued that intent, a key element in French criminal law should be reconsidered in his case.
Dominique Pelicot was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2024 after admitting to drugging and assaulting his wife in their home in the southern village of Mazan.
Police uncovered thousands of videos he recorded of the attacks, which helped identify the 50 co-defendants convicted alongside him.
Gisèle Pelicot arrived at the Court of Appeal in Nîmes accompanied by her youngest son, as dozens of supporters gathered outside holding banners.
Pelicot, who chose to waive her anonymity during last year’s trial, has become a prominent figure in France’s fight against sexual violence.
The new hearing, overseen by three judges and a nine-member jury, is expected to conclude by Wednesday. Pelicot chose to attend in person despite not being required to, with her lawyers saying she felt it was her duty to see the process through.
During the original trial, Pelicot’s decision to make the proceedings public was seen as a turning point in France’s debate on consent and drug-facilitated assault. Her courage in confronting her abusers has been widely praised, both in France and abroad.
Dominique Pelicot, who remains in solitary confinement, is expected to appear as a witness during the appeal. At his first trial, he admitted his guilt, declaring, “I am a rapist, and all the men in this room are rapists.”
The appeal court’s verdict is expected later this week.
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Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has slowed, according to the latest data, as uncertainty over the waterway’s reopening kept most shipowners away. Six commodity vessels crossed the strait on Tuesday, down from nine the day before and below the 10-day daily average of 11.
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains limited on Thursday, with no increase in vessel crossings as U.S.-Iran talks to resolve the conflict remained stalled. Nine commodity vessels transited the key waterway on Wednesday, unchanged from the previous day, according to Kpler data.
Iran has said the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the U.S. fulfils the terms of an interim deal, including lifting the maritime blockade and sanctions and releasing Iran’s frozen assets.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 19th of August, covering the latest developments.
Kazakhstan will vote on 23 August in its first parliamentary election under the new Constitution, choosing 145 members of the new Kurultai under a fundamentally changed electoral system based entirely on party lists.
Five years after Evergrande's debt crisis rattled global markets, founder Hui Ka Yan has been sentenced to life in prison, marking a dramatic new chapter in the downfall of China's former property giant.
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains limited on Thursday, with no increase in vessel crossings as U.S.-Iran talks to resolve the conflict remained stalled. Nine commodity vessels transited the key waterway on Wednesday, unchanged from the previous day, according to Kpler data.
South Korea estimates North Korea possesses between 80 and 120 nuclear warheads, its defence minister said on Thursday, citing a range significantly higher than U.S. President Donald Trump's recent assertion that Pyongyang has 57 nuclear weapons.
Russian ballistic missile strikes on Ukraine’s capital Kyiv has killed at least sixteen people and injured more than forty others, Ukrainian officials said, with fires reported across the city and Poland activating defensive air operations.
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