17 men convicted of raping Gisele Pelicot will appeal against verdict

Almost half of the 51 men convicted of raping or sexually assaulting Gisele Pelicot with the aid of Dominique Pelicot will appeal their sentences.

The 72-year-old woman, who has been hailed a feminist symbol for the struggle against domestic violence in France, was drugged and raped by her ex-husband Dominique, who recruited dozens of strangers to rape her over the course of a decade.

51 men were jailed for a total of 400 years for the heinous crimes against her, with Dominique handed a sentence of 20 years.

17 men convicted of raping or sexually assaulting Ms Pelicot have now said they will appeal, with more potentially following before the window to lodge appeals closes on December 30.

Dominique Pelicot’s lawyer, Beatrice Zavarro told French media that her client had decided against an appeal, however, as he reportedly did not want to inflict a ‘new ordeal’ on his ex-wife.

‘He felt that this decision was in line with the position he had always taken in the trial, namely that Ms Pelicot was not and never had been his adversary,’ Ms Zavarro said of her client, who wanted to be ‘done’ with the case.

Dominique will remain present in court as a key witness during the appeals trial.

Gisele Pelicot has notably attended the proceedings, despite being under no obligation to, as she wants to ‘face those who have appealed’.

‘She’s not scared of that,’ her lawyer Stéphane Babonneau told French media.

‘Although, she obviously would have rather it ended here.’

Under French law, the identities of victims of sexual assault are normally hidden, however Gisele insisted on a public trial to expose her ex-husband and the 50 others convicted of raping her.

In a move of solidarity with women who go unrecognised as victims of sexual crimes, Gisele has allowed the press to publish her full name, and the court to show explicit videos of her abuse filmed by her husband, that show men engaging in sexual intercourse with her while she was unconscious.

‘I have decided not to be ashamed, I have done nothing wrong,’ she previously told the court. ‘They are the ones who must be ashamed.

‘I’m not expressing hatred or hate, but I am determined that things change in this society.’

Among the convicted that have appealed are Charly Abo, who was sentenced to 13 years in jail for raping Ms Pelicot on six separate occasions.

Some of the men who were convicted have argued they were ‘manipulated’ by Pelicot into raping his ex-wife, and were not aware she had not given her consent.

43-year-old Simoné Mekense has been sentenced to nine years in prison.

His lawyer, Yannick Prat, has argued that the sentence was ‘disproportionate’, and said his client said he ‘never meant to rape Gisele Pelicot’.

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