Dominique Pelicot, a 72-year-old man, was sentenced to 20 years in jail for drugging and raping his wife, Gisèle, and for encouraging many men to rape her over a decade. Pelicot has decided not to appeal his sentence, according to his lawyer, Béatrice Zavarro. However, 17 of the 49 men who were convicted of raping or sexually assaulting Gisèle at Pelicot’s request have said they will appeal.
The deadline to appeal is December 30, so more appeals could come in before then.
Pelicot admitted to his crimes but decided not to appeal because he did not want to cause more suffering for his wife. His lawyer said that he wanted to end the case and felt Gisèle was never his enemy. Gisèle attended most of the 15-week trial. Although she is not required to attend the appeal, her lawyer, Stéphane Babonneau, said she is willing to face the men who appealed, even though she would have preferred the case to be over.
Under French law, a new trial will be held within a year, but this time, it will be judged by three judges and a jury of nine ordinary people. This new trial could be different from the first one, as the jury might not be as lenient as the judges.
Among the men who are appealing is Charly Arbo, who was sentenced to 13 years in prison for raping Gisèle six times when he was in his 20s. Other men, such as Simoné Mekenese, a 43-year-old construction worker, and Redouane El Farihi, a 55-year-old nurse, were sentenced to 9 and 8 years in jail, respectively. They are also appealing their sentences.
Harsh Sentance
Some of the men say they did not know Gisèle did not consent to the rapes and claim they were manipulated by Pelicot. Their lawyers argue that the sentences are too harsh.
Pelicot drugged his wife, raped her, and filmed many of the attacks. He also encouraged other men to rape her. Investigators were able to identify 47 of the men, while about 20 others remain unknown. In total, 47 men were convicted of rape, two for attempted rape, and two for sexual assault. Some men were released because they had already served time in detention before the trial.
The case received worldwide attention because Gisèle Pelicot chose to speak out publicly, even though it meant losing her anonymity. She said she wanted to help other rape victims and encourage them to come forward. “Victims of rape should not be ashamed. The shame is on the attackers,” she said.
