Mazan Rape Trial: 15 Convicted Men Appeal Verdicts

A second trial is expected within a year as appeals are lodged in a landmark case of sexual violence in France.

Fifteen of the 51 men convicted in the Mazan rape trial have filed appeals, with others still able to do so before the December 30 deadline.
Dominique Pelicot, the ex-husband of Gisèle Pelicot and the principal perpetrator, received the heaviest sentence of 20 years but has not yet appealed.
The initial trial, lasting nearly four months, found all 51 men guilty of crimes ranging from rape to sexual assault, with sentences ranging from three to 20 years.
The appeals will lead to a new trial in Nîmes within the next year, this time before a jury of citizens rather than professional judges.
Gisèle Pelicot, a key figure in the fight against sexual violence, has expressed readiness to attend the new trial, despite the emotional and physical toll.