France's first lady takes gender claim case to top court after acquittals
On Thursday, the Paris appeals court overturned earlier convictions against the two women for spreading false claims—that went viral online—that Brigitte Macron, 72, used to be a man.
Disinformation on Macron's gender has circulated on social media for years. Her 24-year age difference with President Emmanuel Macron has also attracted much comment.
Brigitte Macron filed a libel complaint against the two women after they posted a YouTube video in December 2021, alleging she had once been a man named Jean-Michel Trogneux—who is actually Brigitte Macron's brother.
In the video, defendant Amandine Roy, a self-proclaimed spiritual medium, interviewed Natacha Rey, a self-described independent journalist, for four hours on her YouTube channel.
Rey spoke about the 'state lie' and 'scam' she claimed to have uncovered that Jean-Michel Trogneux had changed gender to become Brigitte, and then married the future president.
The claim went viral, including among conspiracy theorists in the United States.
A lower court in September last year had ordered the two women to pay 8,000 euros ($9,400) in damages to Brigitte Macron, and 5,000 euros to her brother.
Brigitte Macron's lawyer Jean Ennochi told AFP Sunday that her brother, too, was taking his case against the dismissal of the charges to the highest appeals court, the Court de Cassation. — AFP
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
3 hours ago
- The Sun
Summit on Palestinian statehood set for September in New York
PARIS: A high-level diplomatic summit to advance Palestinian statehood recognition and regional peace efforts will take place in September, a French diplomatic source confirmed. The talks, co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, aim to revive long-stalled negotiations for a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine. Originally scheduled for mid-June, the conference was postponed due to Israel's military actions against Iran. It has now been rescheduled for July 28 and 29 at the United Nations headquarters in New York, where foreign ministers will lay the groundwork. The September meeting, expected to include heads of state, will likely be held in Paris or New York ahead of the UN General Assembly on September 22. The French diplomatic source stated that the July discussions will focus on 'advancing the recognition of a Palestinian state by countries that have not yet done so, including France.' Additionally, the talks will address 'normalisation and Israel's regional integration with Arab and Muslim nations.' France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot will attend the July meeting. Last week, French President Emmanuel Macron urged joint recognition of Palestine by France and Britain. Earlier, Barrot indicated that France would not act unilaterally, suggesting coordination with Gulf Arab allies, particularly Saudi Arabia, which has yet to formally recognise Israel. The initiative follows the 2020 Abraham Accords, brokered by former US President Donald Trump, which saw the UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco normalise relations with Israel. The upcoming summits aim to build on these efforts while addressing Palestinian statehood. – AFP
The Sun
4 hours ago
- The Sun
France condemns civilian abuses in Syria's Sweida conflict
PARIS: France has strongly condemned reported abuses against civilians in Syria's Sweida region, calling for an immediate halt to violence. The foreign ministry demanded an end to clashes and urged all parties to respect ceasefire agreements. Syrian government forces entered Sweida, a predominantly Druze city, to enforce a truce after clashes between Bedouin tribes and local Druze communities left over 100 dead. Witnesses, however, accused government troops of joining Bedouin fighters in attacks on Druze civilians. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported 21 Druze civilians killed in summary executions by pro-government forces. France reiterated support for Syria's transitional authorities and regional leaders in restoring dialogue for lasting peace. French President Emmanuel Macron previously urged Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa to safeguard minorities, following violence against Alawite and Druze communities. The EU recently lifted economic sanctions on Syria but imposed penalties on militia groups linked to attacks on minorities. – AFP
Malay Mail
12 hours ago
- Malay Mail
Frenchman granted conditional release after 18 years on Indonesia death row for drugs
PARIS, July 16 — A Frenchman who spent almost two decades on death row in Indonesia over drug offences before being returned to France, has been granted a conditional release, prosecutors said yesterday. Serge Atlaoui, a 61-year-old welder from Metz, was flown back to France in February after being on death row in Indonesia since 2007. The father of four, currently incarcerated near Paris, had his sentence adapted by the French courts to 30 years imprisonment. Atlaoui has been approved for conditional release on July 18, the prosecutor's office in Meaux said in a statement, adding that it is subject to follow-up obligations. "It has been a very long battle, there was no question of me giving up at any moment. This is a very great moment for me today, and it will be for him as soon as he is released," his lawyer Richard Sedillot told AFP. Atlaoui was arrested in 2005 at a factory in a Jakarta suburb where dozens of kilos (pounds) of drugs were discovered and accused of being a "chemist" by the authorities. He has always denied being a drug trafficker, saying that he was installing machinery in what he thought was an acrylic factory. Initially sentenced to life in prison, his sentence was reviewed by the Indonesia's supreme court and changed to death on appeal. He was due to be executed alongside eight others in 2015, but was granted a reprieve after Paris applied pressure and the Indonesian authorities allowed an outstanding appeal to proceed. Indonesia, which has some of the world's toughest drug laws, has recently released several high-profile detainees, including a Filipina mother on death row and the last five members of the so-called "Bali Nine" drug ring. — AFP
