Gisele Pelicot: Who are the 51 men charged with rape and other crimes?

The picturesque village of Mazan in southern France, nestled among quiet towns and scenic countryside, hid a horrifying secret: a network of abusers led by

Dominique Pelicot

. These men, drawn from within a 50-kilometre radius, participated in one of the most heinous cases of sexual abuse ever uncovered in the country. Their crimes, which spanned nearly a decade, involved the repeated drugging, rape, and exploitation of Pelicot’s ex-wife, Gisèle, as well as other victims.

Dominique Pelicot’s Orchestrated Network

At the centre of the web of abuse was Dominique Pelicot, a 72-year-old who meticulously planned and executed these crimes. He not only drugged and raped his ex-wife but also invited dozens of men to partake in the abuse. Beyond this, he was convicted of attempting to rape another woman and for taking indecent images of his own daughter and daughters-in-law. Pelicot, who admitted to the charges, received a 20-year prison sentence.

A Trial That Shook the Region

Pelicot stood trial alongside 50 other men, many of whom denied the allegations. However, the court in Avignon found 47 guilty of rape, two of attempted rape, and two of sexual assault. The men, who hailed from nearby villages and towns, represented a cross-section of society, including firefighters, lorry drivers, soldiers, journalists, and DJs. This shocking diversity underscored how the network extended deep into the local community.
All defendants now have 10 days to appeal their convictions. With the court lifting restrictions on naming the guilty, the full scale of the horror is now evident.

A Community Complicit in Abuse

The case revealed the extent to which these men, many of them respected professionals and community members, were complicit in the crimes. From lorry drivers to IT specialists, they came from varied walks of life but shared a horrifying commonality. Some, such as Jean-Pierre Marechal, even drugged their own wives, enabling others, including Pelicot, to rape them.
Among the other convicted were fathers, husbands, and neighbours, many of whom continued their lives as though nothing was amiss. For example, one of the convicted men, Joan Kawai, visited the Pelicot home on the night his daughter was born. Another, firefighter Lionel Rodriguez, worked in the same supermarket where Pelicot’s initial arrest for upskirting led to the broader investigation.

A Landmark Case in French Judicial History

This case, emerging in 2020 after Pelicot’s arrest for voyeurism, unveiled a deeply disturbing network of abuse. What began as a single charge of upskirting spiralled into a massive investigation that uncovered years of coordinated exploitation. The trial and subsequent convictions represent a crucial step in bringing justice to the victims, particularly Gisèle, who suffered unimaginable torment at the hands of her ex-husband and his accomplices.
While the sentences ranged from 3 to 20 years, the impact on the victims and the broader community is immeasurable. This dark chapter in the history of Mazan is a stark reminder of how evil can fester even in the most unsuspecting places.

The 51 Monsters

The abuse centered in Mazan, a village in southern France, and involved men from nearby towns and villages within a 50 km (30-mile) radius. The group included individuals from varied professions, such as firefighters, lorry drivers, soldiers, journalists, and DJs. French courts have now lifted restrictions on naming the convicted men.
Dominique Pelicot (72)

Jean-Pierre Marechal (63)
Charges: Attempted rape, aggravated rape, drugging his wife.
Sentence: 12 years.
Charly Arbo (30)

Cyrille Delville

Christian Lescole

Lionel Rodriguez (44)

Nicolas Francois (43)

Jacques Cubeau (73)

Patrice Nicolle (55)

Thierry Parisis

(54)

Simoné Mekenese (43)

Nizar Hamida (40)

Boris Moulin (37)

Jerome Vilela (46)

Didier

Sambuchi

(68)

Quentin Hennebert

(34)

Philippe Leleu (62)

Jean-Luc LA (46)
Charge: Aggravated rape.
Sentence: 10 years.
Fabien Sotton

Karim Sebaoui (40)

Joan Kawai

Jean-Marc LeLoup (74)

Andy Rodriguez (37)

Vincent Coullet

(43)

Adrien Longeron (34)

Hughes Malago (39)

Ahmed Tbarik (54)

Husamettin Dogan (43)

Romain Vandevelde

(63)

Joseph Cocco (69)

Saifeddine Ghabi (37)

Jean Tirano (52)

Mohamed Rafaa (70)

Ludovick Blemeur (39)

Patrick Aron (60)

Abdelali Dallal (47)

Grégory Serviol (33)

Cedric Grassot (50)

Cendric Venzin (44)

Mahdi Daoudi (36)

Thierry Postat (61)

Florian Rocca

Dominique Davies (45)

Cyprien Culieras (45)

Mathieu Dartus (53)

Cyril Beaubis (47)

Paul-Koikoi Grovogui (31)

Omar Douiri (36)

Redouane Azougagh (40)

Hassan Ouamou (30)

Redouane El Farihi