Ten individuals are facing potential imprisonment sentences of up to two years each following allegations of engaging in sexist cyberbullying against French first lady Brigitte Macron. Seven of the accused, referred to as ‘trolls,’ have been brought to court for reportedly subjecting Ms. Macron to severe harassment that resulted in a significant decline in her physical and mental well-being.

The defendants, consisting of one woman and six men, are charged with disseminating false claims about the 72-year-old, including allegations that she was born male and insinuations of engaging in abusive behavior, such as being labeled a “paedophile” who mistreated her spouse, President Emmanuel Macron, during his childhood. If found guilty of cyberbullying Ms. Macron, all individuals involved could potentially serve a two-year prison term.

Although ten people have been charged in connection with the case, three failed to appear at the commencement of their trial at the Paris Correctional Court. Amandine Roy, also known as Delphine Jegousse, a 53-year-old clairvoyant, who participated in a lengthy YouTube video in December 2021, allegedly perpetuating the false narrative that Ms. Macron, a mother of three, was originally born as a boy named Jean-Michel Trogneux in 1953. Notably, Jean-Michel Trogneux is actually Brigitte’s brother, and before her initial marriage, Ms. Macron went by the name Brigitte Trogneux.

Roy further made claims suggesting that Brigitte’s first husband, André-Louis Auzière, was a fabricated persona who never existed, despite reports of his passing in 2020 at the age of 68. Roy had previously been convicted of defaming Ms. Macron but was later acquitted on appeal.

During the ongoing criminal trial, Roy, along with the other defendants, faced accusations of online harassment directly impacting Ms. Macron’s well-being. The presiding judge admonished Roy, emphasizing the serious consequences of such actions on the victim’s health. Ms. Macron opted not to attend the court proceedings, instead being represented by her legal counsel, Jean Ennochi, while Roy’s defense counsel, Maud Marian, contended that her client merely responded to existing online content and did not directly target Ms. Macron.

All defendants maintain their innocence, asserting that their right to free speech is being unjustly curtailed due to their criticisms of a prominent figure within the Parisian political sphere. The trial is centered on scrutinizing numerous derogatory remarks regarding Brigitte Macron’s gender, sexuality, and the significant age gap between her and her husband, which has led to comparisons insinuating inappropriate conduct. Prosecutors in Paris highlighted the gravity of cyberbullying offenses, citing Ms. Macron’s formal complaint filed on August 27th, which carries a potential sentence of two years in prison.

Among the accused is Aurelien Poirson-Atlan, also known as ‘Zoe Sagan’ on social media, aged 41. His defense barrister, Juan Branco, criticized the perceived political undertones of the prosecution’s case, arguing that the trial unfairly targets expressions of opinion protected under free speech rights. The Macron couple’s relationship has long been a subject of contentious speculation due to its unconventional origins. The courtship between the future president and his former teacher, Brigitte Auzière, who was significantly older and married at the time, has been a source of ongoing scrutiny and denial of alleged improprieties. The couple eventually married in 2007, ten years before Emmanuel Macron’s unexpected rise to the French presidency as an independent candidate.