A French court has delivered guilty verdicts against 72-year-old Dominique Pelicot and 50 co-defendants in a shocking mass rape case with the victim, Gisele Pelicot, being the center of public attention, Al Jazeera reports.
The Avignon criminal court, after a three-month trial, found Pelicot guilty of orchestrating the drugging and rape of his then-wife over nearly a decade, involving dozens of accomplices he recruited online. Pelicot, who confessed during the trial, received the maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The court sentenced 47 co-defendants – aged 27 to 74 – for rape, two for attempted rape, and two for sexual assault. Sentences for the co-defendants ranged from four to 18 years, prompting some criticism that they were too lenient.
The court heard testimony detailing how Pelicot repeatedly incapacitated his wife with drugs, allowing him and the co-defendants to repeatedly rape her while he filmed the assaults. While Pelicot admitted to his role, he claimed the other men knew the nature of their actions, a claim the court ultimately rejected.
Remarkably, Gisele Pelicot, also 72, waived her right to anonymity, insisting that the horrifying videos recorded by her ex-husband be shown in court. She sat facing the defendants as Judge Roger Arata delivered the guilty verdicts one by one, declaring each co-defendant guilty of “aggravated rape on the person of Mme. Gisele Pelicot.” Dominique Pelicot will not be eligible for parole until he has served two-thirds of his sentence.
The verdict was met with cheers outside the courthouse from supporters, though some expressed disappointment over the relatively short sentences handed down to some co-defendants. In her first public statement after the verdict, Gisele Pelicot expressed respect for the court’s decision but noted her concern for the countless unrecognized victims of sexual assault. She stated her belief in a future where everyone can live free from violence and reaffirmed her decision to go public with her story.
Dominique Pelicot’s lawyer said that an appeal is being considered. The Pelicots’ three children were present in court to hear the verdict alongside their mother.
