BBC/Léa GuedjThere have been sighs of frustration within the packed seats of the Voltaire courtroom at Avignon’s Palais de Justice because the chief choose in scarlet robes introduced {that a} trial sweeping France had been unexpectedly however inevitably postponed.
“He’s sick,” mentioned Decide President Roger Arata, who mentioned the particular case involving 51 rapists got here after Dominique Pelicot turned too unwell to attend court docket. Instances shall be delayed for “one, two, three days” and presumably longer.
His lawyer later mentioned he had been taken to hospital.
On the proper fringe of the courtroom, Giselle Pellicott leaned her head gently towards the wood-panelled wall, displaying no obvious emotion when she realized she would not see her husband testify that day in any case.
Gisèle Pelicot, 72, instructed a court docket final week that her calm demeanor belied “a devastation” after a French police officer instructed her 4 years in the past that her ostensibly beloved husband was really killed, which triggered the catastrophe. she.
She waived her proper to anonymity to spotlight the hazards of ladies being drugged and sexually assaulted – generally known as “chemical submission”.
From the courts of Avignon to the quaint medieval village of Mazen, it is simply over half an hour’s drive by mild hills and vineyards, surrounded by the looming, nearly lunar panorama of Mont Ventoux. The village was briefly well-known for internet hosting the marriage of British actress Keira Knightley.
That is the place the Pellicotts stay and the place Dominic Pellicott images locals he connects with on-line.
The temper at anyplace and at any time is at all times troublesome to summarize.
“Actually, nobody right here cares,” mentioned Evan Tuvignon, a neighborhood caterer, leaning towards his retailer counter, suggesting that folks had been fed up with the entire case.
However a number of girls instructed CNN all the village will not be solely shocked, however the revelations in court docket are creating new tensions in Mazan and surrounding villages.
The names of the defendants have just lately been broadly and illegally shared on social media, with a few of them having since complained to the court docket that they, their households and kids now face harassment on the streets and in colleges.
Two native girls loading their automobile on a slim road in Mazan mentioned they noticed the names and acknowledged no less than three of them.
“As you’ll be able to think about, this creates rigidity. You do not know who to belief on the road. I shall be leaving the village quickly, which is a aid.
However past her, Océane’s mom, Isabelle Liversain, 50, raised one other, deeper concern.
It has been revealed that whereas police have recognized and detained 50 of the boys within the photos on Dominic Pellicott’s onerous drive, 30 suspects (who’ve but to be named and whereabouts) stay at massive.
“So, we all know that 30 out of 80 folks haven’t been caught. There’s rigidity right here as a result of folks don’t know if they will belief their neighbor. You ask your self – is he a kind of 30 folks? Your neighbor What are you doing behind closed doorways? mentioned Caroline Martin in a pissed off voice.
However Mazen’s 74-year-old mayor, Louis Bonnet, tried to downplay these tensions, arguing that a lot of the alleged rapists had been from different villages and making an attempt to painting the Pellicotts as residing there. A brief-lived outsider.
He additional mentioned threats towards the accused and his household had been to be anticipated.
“In the event that they had been concerned in these rapes, it’s regular for them to be focused. All the things that occurs should be clear,” he mentioned, condemning the defendants and their actions.
In an interview with us, Mr. Bonnet spoke concerning the case itself, turning to attitudes which have sparked outrage in France and a deep admiration for Giselle Pellicot’s braveness in confronting them.
“Folks right here say ‘nobody was killed’. If it might have been worse [Pelicot] Killed his spouse. However that didn’t occur on this case,” Mr Bonnet mentioned.
He then went on to inform the story of Giselle Pellicott.
“It will need to have been troublesome for her to get again on her ft,” he agreed, however mentioned her rape was much less disturbing than one other sufferer within the close by city of Carpentra, who “was acutely aware when she was raped. . . ….And it’ll trigger long-term bodily and psychological trauma, which is much more severe.”
“Relating to youngsters or girls being killed, that is very severe as a result of there is not any going again. In that case, the household has to rebuild. It should be onerous. However they are not useless but, to allow them to nonetheless do it. arrive.
Once I urged that he attempt to downplay the seriousness of the Pellicott case, he agreed.
“I’m. What occurred could be very severe. However I would not say the village has to stay with the reminiscence of the crime past what is suitable,” he mentioned.
His alternative of phrases appeared clumsy. He condemned the case. He would not need his village to be without end branded.
However he additionally appeared to belittle Gisele Pellicot’s trauma.
I pushed again once more. I mentioned that many ladies felt that this case uncovered a particular kind of male habits that wanted to be modified.
“We at all times need attitudes to alter, and we should always. However actually, there is not any magic components. Individuals who do that are incomprehensible and shouldn’t be forgiven or understood. Nevertheless it’s nonetheless there,” Mr. Bonnett reply.
Contained in the Avignon courtroom, among the defendants (18 of whom are at the moment in custody) sat in a particular glass-walled space to look at the proceedings. A white man with raveled grey hair stroked his bearded chin. Close by, a younger black man gave the impression to be dozing.
Earlier, dozens of co-defendants, who weren’t in custody, lined up outdoors the court docket and huddled with reporters.
Most tried to cowl their faces with masks, however a couple of didn’t. A tall man shuffled ahead, leaning on a cane. Some pulled inexperienced hoods all the way down to cowl their faces.
French legislation gives defendants with a level of safety from media publicity, however Gisele Pellicot has rejected her authorized proper to privateness, preferring as a substitute to change into an emblem of resistance for a lot of French girls.
“She confirmed such dignity, braveness and humanity. It is an enormous reward [French women] She selected to talk to the world in entrance of her rapist. They mentioned she suffered a nervous breakdown. However she was so inspiring,” mentioned Blandine Deverlanges, a neighborhood activist who appeared in court docket immediately.
She and her colleagues just lately painted slogans on partitions round Avignon. It learn: “Abnormal folks. Horrible crimes.
Christophe Simon/AFPThe couple’s daughter Caroline, 45, made no secret of her feelings as she sat subsequent to her mom.
Proof was just lately offered to her that her father took pictures of her with out her information or permission. She believed she, too, had been drugged by him and have become a campaigner on rape and medicines – a problem that many specialists consider is grossly under-reported and under-investigated in France.
Generally, in court docket, as a number of protection attorneys raised objections or argued factors of order, Caroline would frown or cowl her face along with her arms, displaying clear frustration or disgust. A policeman started to provide proof, talking in a thick southern French accent. Brilliant daylight poured in from the skylight above the judges.
The ambiance within the elegantly adorned court docket was calm however the household – mom, daughter and no less than two sons – had been seen sitting simply meters away from so many alleged rapists, all now with their masks off , nonetheless shocked.
