While his clients are accused of raping and beating a 39-year-old Argentinian woman, one of the lawyers said that “this legal adventure” did not deserve “further delays”.
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![Rafael Cuneo Libarona, one of the lawyers of Hugo Auradou and Oscar Jegou, two French rugby players charged with rape in Argentina, in Mendoza (Argentina), July 10, 2024. (LUIS ROBAYO / AFP)](https://www.francetvinfo.fr/pictures/NfPyLUWaBro4ei8IVFHGEm-s2eo/0x146:6092x3571/432x243/2024/08/23/000-363m6uv-66c81e37665f3616160300.jpg)
They want to bring their clients back to France. The lawyers of Hugo Auradou and Oscar Jegou, two French rugby players charged with rape in Argentina, announced that they were preparing to file a request for dismissal with the Mendoza courts on Friday, August 22. It was in this city in the west of the country that the events for which they are being prosecuted allegedly occurred, on the night of July 6 to 7.
After the French XV test match against Argentina, the two 21-year-old players are accused of raping and beating a woman in their hotelacts of a “terrible violence” according to the plaintiff’s lawyer. The French rugby players deny any violence and told investigators about sexual relations, which they claim were consensual. Placed in detention and then under house arrest, they were released for lack of “of sufficient elements” but must remain in Argentina for the duration of the investigation.
“This legal adventure (…) does not deserve any further delays”, said their Argentinian lawyer. Rafael Cuneo Libarona specified that he had waited until all the investigative acts had been completed before filing this request for dismissal. Once the prosecution has ruled on this request, a magistrate should convene a review hearing and make his decision known a few days later, according to the players’ counsel.