French Appeals Court Upholds Conviction and Increases Sentence for Lone Man Challenging Gisèle Pelicot Rape Verdict

A French appeals court in Nîmes has delivered a significant judgment, increasing the jail term for Husamettin Dogan, the only man to appeal his convict...

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A French appeals court in Nîmes has delivered a significant judgment, increasing the jail term for Husamettin Dogan, the only man to appeal his convict...

French Appeals Court Upholds Conviction and Increases Sentence for Lone Man Challenging Gisèle Pelicot Rape Verdict

Updated: 3 months ago
French Appeals Court Upholds Conviction and Increases Sentence for Lone Man Challenging Gisèle Pelicot Rape Verdict

A French appeals court in Nîmes has delivered a significant judgment, increasing the jail term for Husamettin Dogan, the only man to appeal his conviction in the widely reported mass rape case of Gisèle P...

By NicePersons Editorial Team•••News

A French appeals court in Nîmes has delivered a significant judgment, increasing the jail term for Husamettin Dogan, the only man to appeal his conviction in the widely reported mass rape case of Gisèle Pelicot. Dogan, a 44 year old construction worker, had been initially sentenced to nine years in prison but saw his term extended to ten years after the retrial rejected his claims of innocence and highlighted his refusal to take responsibility for the aggravated rape of Pelicot while she was drugged and unconscious. The verdict underscores a firm judicial stance against the persistent issue of rape culture and the imperative for a culture of consent.

The original trial, which concluded in December last year, saw a total of 51 men convicted including Gisèle Pelicot's ex husband, Dominique Pelicot, who received the maximum 20 year sentence. Dominique Pelicot had systematically drugged his wife with sedatives over nearly a decade, inviting dozens of men he met online in a chatroom called “without her knowledge” to come to their home in Mazan, Provence and sexually assault her while she was in a comatose state. The shocking case was brought to light after Dominique Pelicot was caught filming up women's skirts in a supermarket, leading investigators to a hard drive containing thousands of videos and photos documenting the abuse.

Dogan’s appeal was seen as a challenging test for the new emphasis on consent in French law and for the societal reckoning spurred by Gisèle Pelicot's courage. Pelicot, a 72 year old retired manager, became an international symbol of survivors' strength after waiving her right to anonymity and famously declaring that “shame must change sides”. She attended the appeal trial and urged Dogan to "take responsibility" for his actions, forcefully stating that she "never gave him consent" and that raping an unconscious woman is a crime.

During the appeal, the state prosecutor, Dominique Sie, requested a harsher 12 year sentence, arguing that Dogan's insistent denial and claim that he was "trapped" or deceived by Dominique Pelicot illustrated an “archaic” form of “male domination” and a clear example of continued rape culture. Sie stated in court that by refusing to admit his guilt, Dogan was “endorsing an entire sordid social system”. Video evidence presented showed Dogan penetrating the completely inert, unconscious body of Gisèle Pelicot over a period of more than three hours, despite his testimony that the videos were merely “sex scenes” and that he only committed “a sexual act”. The jury, comprising three judges and nine ordinary citizens, ultimately upheld the guilty verdict for aggravated rape and chose to increase his sentence by one year, sending a clear message that a lack of accountability would not be tolerated. Dogan’s lawyer indicated that his client would not appeal again, accepting the decision. The landmark case continues to shape the national dialogue on sexual violence and the fundamental importance of explicit consent.

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