The “catastrophe” scenario of a long postponement of the emblematic trial of serial rapes in the south of France seems to be receding, with the main accused, absent for a week, in principle being able, according to doctors, to return to court on Tuesday, subject to a few adjustments.
“We received a message from the president [de la cour criminelle, NDLR] arguing that Dominique Pelicot will be present at the hearing tomorrow with special adaptation conditions, namely: sequencing of hearings and regular rest time,” his lawyer, Me Beatrice Zavarro.
On Monday morning, once again, the 71-year-old retiree was absent. He is accused of having drugged his ex-wife Gisèle Pelicot to rape her and have her raped by dozens of men, fifty of whom are also on trial in this emblematic case of sexual violence and chemical submission.
Dominique Pelicot underwent a scan on Sunday and is suffering from “a kidney stone, a kidney infection and a prostate problem,” said the president of the court, Roger Arata, when ordering a medical examination.
The civil parties are nonetheless very critical.
” Test “
“This trial is a daily ordeal for Gisèle Pelicot and her family who, every day, courageously show up to face the gaze, to meet the accused, to come and give evidence. This ordeal is becoming a Chinese torture,” explained one of the lawyers for the civil parties, Mr.e Stephane Babonneau.
“Words fail to express how abnormal the situation we find ourselves in this morning is. There are people whose job it is to ensure that Mr. Pelicot is fit to attend his trial,” he had said a few minutes earlier before the court.
The attorney general told him that he “regretted this situation” and Mr.e Zavarro, for his part, criticised the lack of medical care for his client.
“We have medical care for prisoners in France that is not up to par,” she accused. “But it is certain that he still wants to express himself, he will do so.”
Dominique Pelicot, who documented all the rapes in files on his computer, admitted the facts but has never explained himself in detail at his trial. His testimony is also crucial for the cases of the other men, aged 26 to 74, tried in Avignon.
Asked whether her client could be heard as early as Tuesday, Me Zavarro could not be more specific at this point. “Will the president start with him or will he start with Madame and her children? I have no idea. But in any case, he will be there,” she said.
“You are not alone”
The facts against Mr. Pelicot came to light after he was arrested in September 2020 while filming up the skirts of three women in a shopping center in Carpentras, in the south of France.
By searching his computer, investigators discovered a decade of rapes committed against his then-wife in the marital home.
Gisèle Pelicot, who refused to allow the case to be heard behind closed doors, thanked the 10,000 or so demonstrators who marched across France on Saturday, brandishing her stylized face, to support her.
“Thanks to all of you, I have the strength to fight this fight to the end,” she told reporters. “I dedicate [ce combat] to all the people, women and men, around the world, who are victims of sexual violence. To all these victims, I want to say today: “Look around you, you are not alone.”