French Prosecutors Seek Prison Terms for Cyberbullying First Lady Brigitte Macron

Prosecutors in a Paris trial sought suspended prison terms for defendants accused of cyberbullying First Lady Brigitte Macron by spreading unsubstantiated claims about her gender. The trial comes after President Emmanuel Macron and his wife filed a defamation lawsuit in the United States at the end of July, in connection with a false claim amplified and repeated online that Brigitte Macron was assigned male at birth.

Tiphaine Auziere, Brigitte Macron's 41-year-old daughter, testified that the unsubstantiated claims had harmed her mother's health, causing her to constantly pay attention to what she wears and how she holds herself due to the constant distortion of her image. Brigitte Macron herself filed a complaint in August 2024, leading to an investigation into cyberbullying and arrests in December 2024 and February 2025.

Key Takeaways:

• Prosecutors sought suspended prison terms of three to 12 months for 10 defendants accused of cyberbullying Brigitte Macron.
• Three defendants, described as "instigators," face heaviest sentences, including a 12-month suspended prison sentence, an 8,000 euro fine, and a six-month suspension of his social media accounts.
• Defendants included publicist Aurelien Poirson-Atlan, who defended his right to "satire," and Delphine J., a self-proclaimed spiritual medium who had been the subject of a libel complaint filed by Brigitte Macron in 2022.
• The trial comes after President Emmanuel Macron and his wife filed a defamation lawsuit in the United States against conservative podcaster Candace Owens, who produced a series claiming Brigitte Macron was born a man.
• Several high-profile women in politics, including former US first lady Michelle Obama, US ex-vice president Kamala Harris, and New Zealand ex-premier Jacinda Ardern, have also been targets of disinformation about their gender or sexuality.

Statistics:

• 10 defendants accused of cyberbullying Brigitte Macron, with 3 described as "instigators."
• Prosecutors sought 12-month suspended prison sentences, 8,000 euro fines, and six-month suspensions of social media accounts for some defendants.
• 2024 - year Brigitte Macron filed a complaint, leading to an investigation into cyberbullying and arrests.
• July 2022 - year Brigitte Macron filed a libel complaint against Delphine J.
• 8,000 euros - maximum fine sought against defendants.
• 9,300 dollars - equivalent to the 8,000 euro maximum fine.

Sources:

• doc.afp.com, part of the BLOX Digital Content Exchange.