Mazan trial: “We must show everything! Look rape straight in the eye!” proclaim Gisèle Pelicot's lawyers

Gisèle Pelicot et ses avocats, Me Camus et Me Babonneau, après cette victoire judiciaire. MIDI LIBRE – François Barrère

The Vaucluse Criminal Court has finally agreed to broadcast to the public and without any restrictions the videos shot by Dominique Pelicot when dozens of men came to abuse his wife whom he had drugged in their marital bedroom. The presiding judge had initially refused to comply with this request of the civil party.

“Mr. Pelicot, I noticed that you don't watch these videos” asks the accused this Friday, October 4 Me Béatrice Zavarro, who is defending him before the Vaucluse Criminal Court. “I'm ashamed. I disgust myself. I don't want to see all that again”” answers the septuagenarian, who has just spent nearly two hours with his head down and his hand over his eyes, in the box.

Close-ups of the penetrations

Disgust? This is indeed one of the feelings that one experiences, after the broadcast in the room of these images of the rapes inflicted on his wife Gisèle, knocked out by sleeping pills in their marital bedroom, in Mazan. Shaky images, badly framed and poorly lit, with close-ups of the penetrations suffered by the unfortunate unconscious woman.

Some of the accused lower their heads. Another, in the dock, seems hypnotized by what he sees on the screen and does not miss a crumb of it. A third, who is seen at length enjoying an inert body, without the slightest sign of nervousness, assures that these images prove to what extent he was terrified by Pelicot's presence.

A defendant in distress

“I do not show my weakness, because I am in the presence of a predator”, he dares, in distress. “You can see that I'm terrified, but you can't see it.”

For the first time, these videos were broadcast in the presence of the press and the public in the broadcast room, after a real showdown, won by Gisèle Pelicot and her two defenders, Me Antoine Camus and Me Stéphane Babonneau. After having accepted an initial broadcast in the presence of the press only, President Roger Arata decided on September 20 that “these indecent and shocking images” would now only be broadcast in the presence of the court.

From Gisèle Halimi to Gisèle Pelicot

Unacceptable for Gisèle Pelicot, who fought for this trial to be completely public.

Read also: Rapes of Mazan, a trial that fascinates the whole world: "There is a real admiration for the courage of this lady"

Hence this appeal argued forcefully by his defenders. Me Babonneau, first, citing the other Gisèle, the lawyer Me Halimi, who in 1978 had also requested that a rape trial be public, and explained it thus: “A raped woman is a broken woman, a shattered woman […]. And when she fights, she has real courage because she knows it's not for her." 

Viols de #Mazan : après la douloureuse épreuve de la diffusion des vidéos de ce qu’elle a subi, l’émouvant hommage du public à Gisèle Pelicot, à sa sortie du palais de justice d’#Avignon #pelicot #giselepelicot #viols pic.twitter.com/e0uqv2iRtp

— FRANÇOIS BARRERE (@FB_Midilibre) October 4, 2024

The lawyer continues. "Why Giselle Pelicot fights to inflict this extra dose of psychological poison on herself? For her, it's too late, the damage is done, the rape by more than 60 men committed in her bed. But if this publicity helps to ensure that other women don't have to go through this, then this suffering will have meaning."

History is forged in the priesthoods

 Me Camus continues. “We must show everything! Rape, right in the eyes, but also the way in which we defend rape in 2024, in this country of human rights which is also that of women's rights”. Before concluding, echoing the now global impact of this extraordinary trial: “It is also in the courtrooms that history is forged”.

The public prosecutor approves and agrees, supporting the public broadcast, and dismissing the arguments that are announced: “The accusations of voyeurism and exhibitionism only discredit those who bring them.” 

Lawyers are loudly protesting

Because behind them, some lawyers of the accused, very hostile to the projection of these devastating images for their defense strategy, are loudly protesting. “Nauseating projections”, “exacerbated criminal voyeurism”, “Ceausescu-style trials” storms at great length against Me Olivier Lantelme.

Me Nadia El Bouroumi screams at the bar against “the media dictatorship” which would prevent the defense lawyers from carrying out their mission. “We were threatened, humiliated, insulted! The facts are horrible, the international trial, it is transcribed to the second! " shoulders this lawyer who is also ultra-present on social networks. And who concludes with a lunar confession. "My clients' videos, I wondered when to watch them. I did it on the TGV last night on the way back from Paris. I felt like throwing up."

 Such judicial images, viewed on public transport, while the trial opened more than a month ago ? Disgust is everywhere.

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