Paris Court Convicts 10 for Online Harassment of Brigitte Macron

A Paris court has convicted ten individuals for orchestrating an online harassment campaign against France’s First Lady, Brigitte Macron, after they circulated false claims questioning her gender identity.

According to prosecutors, the group — consisting of eight men and two women — used social media platforms to spread an unfounded conspiracy theory alleging that Brigitte Macron was born male and originally named Jean-Michel Trogneux, who is in fact her elder brother. Several posts also attempted to link the 24-year age difference between President Emmanuel Macron and his wife to baseless accusations of pedophilia.

The court handed down a range of sentences, including a six-month custodial term, suspended prison sentences of up to eight months, and financial penalties. In addition, the convicted individuals were ordered to complete mandatory anti-cyber-harassment training. Five of the defendants were also banned from accessing the social media platforms where the abusive content was published.

The ruling comes as the Macrons continue to pursue a separate defamation case in the United States against political commentator Candace Owens, who has repeatedly echoed the same false claims about Brigitte Macron.

Speaking in a recent television interview, France’s First Lady said she decided to take legal action not only to protect herself but also to send a clear message against online abuse. She emphasized the importance of standing up to digital harassment and setting a precedent for others who face similar attacks.

The verdict is being viewed as a significant step by French courts toward addressing online misinformation, targeted harassment, and the misuse of social media to spread defamatory content.

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