10 convicted of cyberbullying French first lady Brigitte Macron

 

A Paris court found Monday 10 people guilty of cyberbullying France's first lady, Brigitte Macron, by spreading false online claims about her gender and sexuality, including allegations she was born a man.

 

One defendant was sentenced to six months in prison, while eight were handed suspended sentences between two and eight months. All 10 were mandated to attend cyberbullying awareness training.

 

The court pointed to "particularly degrading, insulting, and malicious" comments referring to false claims regarding alleged trans identity and alleged pedo criminality targeting Brigitte Macron. "Repeated publications have had cumulative harmful effects," the court said.

  

The defendants, eight men and two women aged 41 to 65, were accused of posting "numerous malicious comments" falsely claiming that President Emmanuel Macron 's wife was born a man and linking the 24-year age gap with her husband to pedophilia. Some of the posts were viewed tens of thousands of times. 

 

Brigitte Macron didn't attend the two-day trial in October. Speaking on TF1 national television Sunday, she said she launched legal proceedings to "set an example" in the fight against harassment.

 

Her lawyer, Jean Ennochi, said Monday "what is important is that there are immediate cyberbullying awareness trainings, and for some of the defendants, a ban on using their social media accounts."

 

 

 

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