A few minutes after the announcement of the sentences of the 51 accused in the Mazan rape trial, one of the lawyers confronted the people gathered in front of the Avignon courthouse.
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“I have a message from my client to all these hysterics and “bad mouth“. The message is: shit! But with a smile. Come on, knitters!” said Christophe Bruschi jubilantly.
His client, Joseph C., 69, was sentenced to three years in prison, two of which were suspended for sexual assault in this case. He came out free.
The reactions of women and members of feminist groups were not long in coming, leading to confrontation with the lawyer.
“You are a shame, do you understand that? (…) You are the shame of France,” a young man shouted at him, shouting.
“Completely disillusioned”
“We are outraged to see that the smallest sentence is three years, (including) two years suspended, it is making fun of the world and making fun of us and making fun of sexist and sexual violence. I don’t even have the words. We are completely disillusioned,” confides Stella Mezaber, 24 years old.
AFP
“I sincerely pity with all my heart Gisèle Pelicot, who fought to make this trial historic. In reality the sentences will not be historic,” regrets Isabelle Boyer, one of the members of the feminist collective Les Amazones d’Avignon at the origin of collages against sexual violence affixed for months to the walls of this city in the South-East of France. And also a large banner floating in front of the palace proclaiming “Thank you Gisèle”.
– with AFP
World
