French Court Convicts Ten Over Online Harassment of First Lady Brigitte Macron
A Paris court has found ten people guilty of cyberbullying France’s first lady Brigitte Macron. This concludes a high-profile case centred on years of online harassment. The case included false claims about her identity.
The defendants, eight men and two women aged between 41 and 65, were convicted. They posted what the court described as “degrading, insulting and malicious” content targeting Ms Macron. Much of the abuse focused on conspiracy theories falsely alleging that she is a transgender woman and was born male.
False claims spread widely online
The rumours have circulated for several years on social media platforms and video-sharing sites. They also included defamatory insinuations. These insinuations highlighted the age difference between Ms Macron, 72, and her husband, French President Emmanuel Macron, 48. They wrongly associated this difference with criminal behaviour. The couple, married since 2007, have repeatedly denounced the allegations as baseless and harmful.
Prosecutors told the court that several of the posts reached tens of thousands of views. This amplified their impact. It also contributed to sustained online abuse.
Sentences range from bans to suspended prison terms
The Paris criminal court handed down a range of penalties, including:
- mandatory cyberbullying awareness courses
- temporary bans on social media use
- suspended prison sentences of up to eight months
Delphine Jegousse, also known online as Amandine Roy, was among those convicted. Judges said she played a significant role in promoting the false narrative. She received a six-month suspended prison sentence after publishing a lengthy video in 2021 that revived and expanded the claims.
Another defendant, Bertrand Scholler, was also given a six-month suspended sentence. Speaking after the verdict, he criticized the ruling. He said he would appeal. He argued that the decision threatened freedom of expression. Prosecutors rejected this claim. They said the case concerned harassment, not opinion.
The harshest sentence, an eight-month suspended prison term, was handed to Aurelien Poirson-Atlan, known online as Zoe Sagan. His social media accounts were previously suspended after being linked to multiple judicial investigations.
Family impact highlighted in court
Brigitte Macron did not attend the two-day trial held in October, but her daughter from a previous marriage, Tiphaine Auziere, testified about the toll the harassment had taken on her mother and the wider family.
“She cannot escape the violence of what is said about her,” Auziere told the court, adding that the abuse had affected several generations of the family, including Ms Macron’s grandchildren.
Ms Macron previously said she pursued legal action not only for herself, but to “set an example” and demonstrate that persistent online harassment carries consequences.
Ongoing legal action abroad
The case comes amid continued efforts by the Macron family to challenge similar claims internationally. The French president and first lady are currently pursuing a defamation lawsuit in the United States. They have taken legal action against right-wing commentator Candace Owens. Owens has repeated the false allegation. She claimed that Ms Macron was born under the name Jean-Michel Trogneux. This is the actual name of her brother.
French authorities have consistently dismissed the claim as a conspiracy theory with no factual basis.
A wider signal on online abuse
Ms Macron’s lawyer, Jean Ennochi, said the verdict sent a clear message. Online harassment is not protected speech. This is especially true when it targets individuals through persistent falsehoods and personal attacks.
Legal analysts say the ruling may serve as a reference point for future cases in France. Courts continue to grapple with the boundary between free expression and coordinated online abuse.