French court hands down prison sentences in Brigitte Macron cyberharassment case ⚖️📱

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Several individuals prosecuted for cyberharassment targeting Brigitte Macron were sentenced on January 5 in Paris. The defendants were accused of spreading or amplifying false rumors and abusive content related to the First Lady’s identity and her relationship with French President Emmanuel Macron. The court handed down sentences of up to six months in prison, most of them suspended.

A clear intent to harm, the court rules 🚫💬

The Paris criminal court ruled that the messages shared on social media demonstrated a deliberate intent to cause harm. Judges found that the accusations—many of which centered on conspiracy theories about Brigitte Macron’s gender identity and the age gap between her and the president—went far beyond free expression or satire.

Eight defendants received suspended prison sentences ranging from four to eight months. Presiding judge Thierry Donnard described the statements as “malicious, degrading, and insulting,” noting that they included unfounded allegations of pedocriminality. According to the court, these posts fueled a sustained and coordinated campaign of online harassment.

One defendant, who failed to appear in court, was sentenced to six months of actual prison time. Judges said his absence reflected a lack of regard for the seriousness of the charges.

Heavier penalties for key figures in the campaign 🔒📉

Some defendants, identified as central figures in spreading the rumors, received harsher penalties. Prosecutor Hervé Tétier referred to them as the “instigators” of the cyberharassment campaign.

Writer Aurélien Poirson-Atlan, known online under the pseudonym Zoé Sagan, was sentenced to eight months in prison, suspended. Psychic Amandine Roy and art dealer Bertrand Scholler each received six-month suspended sentences. All three were also banned from using social media platforms for six months.

In addition, all convicted defendants must complete—at their own expense—a digital citizenship and online respect awareness program. They were also jointly ordered to pay a €10,000 fine. Only two of the ten defendants were present when the verdict was delivered.

A rumor with deep personal consequences 🧠👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

The case stems from a long-running online conspiracy theory falsely claiming that Brigitte Macron is a transgender woman. The claim, widely debunked, has circulated for years and gained traction both in France and internationally.

When she filed her complaint in August 2024, Brigitte Macron told investigators that the accusations had caused serious harm to her private life. She highlighted the emotional toll on her family, particularly her grandchildren, who were exposed to attacks questioning their grandmother’s identity.

Although she did not attend the trial, the First Lady spoke publicly the day before the verdict during an interview on TF1’s evening news. She said she wanted to set an example in the fight against harassment, especially for younger generations, and denounced attacks that targeted both her identity and her family.

Disinformation spreading beyond France 🌍🕸️

Several defendants attempted to defend their actions by invoking satire or freedom of expression. The court dismissed those arguments, ruling that the content clearly exceeded the boundaries of legitimate public debate.

Amandine Roy, in particular, had published a multi-hour video in 2021 claiming that Brigitte Macron never existed. While Roy was acquitted on appeal in a separate defamation case, that ruling is still under review by France’s highest court.

The conspiracy theory also spread beyond France, notably in the United States. Journalist Xavier Poussard, author of a book promoting the theory, was not prosecuted in this case due to his residence abroad. However, the court acknowledged that his publications helped amplify the campaign on an international scale.

Through these convictions, French courts are sending a clear signal: freedom of expression does not protect harassment, defamation, or the deliberate spread of false information that undermines personal dignity.

👉🏾  By issuing these convictions, the French judiciary is reaffirming a clear principle: freedom of expression does not extend to harassment, defamation, or the deliberate spread of false information that undermines personal dignity—online or otherwise.