Navacelle looks back at six criminal trials held in France and that made headlines for their legal, political, social, or criminal significance.

The Mazan trial: a system of sexual violence revealed

This internationally acclaimed trial revealed the extent of a system of sexual violence orchestrated over nearly a decade. Symbolized by the courage of Gisèle Pélicot, this case shocked public opinion and challenged society’s notions of consent and rape.

Trial of European parliamentary assistants of the FN: misappropriation of European funds and political outrage

The case of the Front National’s parliamentary assistants gave rise to a large-scale judicial investigation, revealing an alleged system of misappropriation of European funds. The convictions, accompanied by ineligibility penalties, sparked a lively political and legal debate, rekindling discussions on the provisional enforcement of sentences and the independence of the judiciary.

Trial of Libyan financing of Nicolas Sarkozy’s campaign: an out of the ordinary legal case

The trial into suspicions of Libyan financing of Nicolas Sarkozy’s 2007 presidential campaign has given rise to a high-profile trial. The prosecution has requested up to 7 years’ imprisonment and 5 years’ ineligibility against the former president. This trial highlights the evidentiary challenges associated with international corruption cases, which are often based on clues rather than direct evidence.

Squarcini case: conviction for private intelligence serving private interests

The case of the former head of domestic intelligence, marked by the spying on journalists and the compromising of State secrets, has reopened the debate on the influence of big business in legal cases, despite the CJIP (assimilated to the deferred prosecution agreement) signed by LVMH in 2021.

Joël Le Scouarnec trial: an extraordinary trial for massive sexual violence

Convicted of 111 rapes and 188 sexual assaults, former surgeon Joël Le Scouarnec admitted the acts committed between 1980 and 2017. The trial highlighted the scale of the violence, the silence of medical institutions and the lack of coordination between health institutions. A civil trial is scheduled for November 2025 to seek compensation for the harm suffered by the victims.

Depardieu trial: a defense strategy leading to a controversial sentence

Famous French actor Gérard Depardieu was sentenced to 18 months’ suspended imprisonment, two years’ ineligibility and registration on the sexual offenders register for alleged sexual assaults that occurred during filming in 2021. The trial was marked by strong opposition between the parties. Critics focused on the defense strategy deployed by Depardieu and his lawyer, which was deemed to be hurtful to the victims. An appeal has been announced, while other proceedings remain in progress.