A Parisian tribunal delivered guilty verdicts against ten individuals on Monday for their involvement in the online persecution of Brigitte Macron, France’s first lady. The defendants were prosecuted for disseminating fabricated allegations claiming she is transgender and was assigned male at birth.
The first lady and her spouse, French President Emmanuel Macron, have endured these baseless accusations for an extended period, including false assertions that she was previously known as Jean-Michel Trogneux—which is actually her elder brother’s name.
The presidential couple’s 24-year age difference has also attracted hostile commentary and ridicule. While they predominantly disregarded such attacks for years, they have recently adopted a more assertive legal approach to combat these falsehoods.
This court decision represents a significant achievement for the Macrons as they simultaneously pursue a prominent defamation case in the United States against conservative commentator and podcast host Candace Owens, who has similarly propagated claims about Brigitte’s gender identity.
The convicted group, comprising eight males and two females, was found guilty of posting malicious remarks concerning the first lady’s gender and personal life, with some going so far as to inappropriately characterize the age gap between the spouses as comparable to predatory behavior.
The sentences varied considerably among the defendants. One individual received a six-month incarceration term without suspension, while others were handed suspended prison sentences reaching up to eight months. Additional penalties included monetary fines, mandatory educational programs focused on cyber harassment awareness, and five defendants were prohibited from accessing the social media platforms they had utilized for their harassment campaigns.
Claims of Satirical Intent Rejected
Several defendants attempted to justify their statements as satirical expression, but the court dismissed this defense entirely.
Bertrand Scholler, a 55-year-old art gallery operator and author, announced his intention to challenge his six-month suspended sentence through the appeals process.
“This is terrible. It’s absolutely disgraceful,” he expressed to journalists outside the courthouse. “This demonstrates the extent to which French society is moving toward diminished freedom of expression. Free speech no longer exists.”
The verdict emerges during a period of heightened international debate regarding online discourse regulation, with certain political factions characterizing European initiatives to combat misinformation as suppression of speech. Recent diplomatic actions have included travel restrictions imposed on five European figures involved in countering online hatred and disinformation, including a former French European Union commissioner and various anti-misinformation advocates.
First Lady Defends Legal Action
During a television interview broadcast Sunday evening, Brigitte Macron justified her decision to legally confront cyberbullies, expressing hope that her actions would inspire others facing similar persecution. She described the digital assaults as relentless, noting that “individuals infiltrated my tax records website and altered my personal information.”
She also expressed frustration that her harassers disregarded substantial documentation confirming her identity.
“An official birth certificate carries significant weight. It represents a parent officially registering their child and declaring their identity,” she stated. “My goal is to support young people in combating harassment, and if I fail to demonstrate leadership on this issue, it will prove challenging to achieve that objective.”
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