French court dismisses sexual assault case against Interior Minister

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
11 Jul 2022 18:48

Allegations of rape against France's Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin are expected to be dropped after the investigating judge closed the case, according to French media.

French court dismisses sexual assault case against Interior Minister.

A French court dismissed the sexual assault case against French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin on Monday, citing sources, according to BFMTV.

According to the broadcaster, the judge ordered that the case be dismissed on July 8, 2022.

Sophie Patterson Spat sued Darmanin in 2017 after accusing him of sexual harassment and breach of trust in 2009.

In 2018, the Paris court issued a ruling on the case's lack of evidence, and in 2019, a court of cassation ordered that the legality of the case's termination be reviewed. In 2020, the Paris Court of Appeal decided to reopen the investigation into Darmanin.

There have been rape allegations, made on separate occasions, against the French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, and the new Solidarity Minister, Damien Abad. Both have denied such allegations.

In response to the allegations, Macron said both men should be presumed innocent, as neither of them has been convicted.

French President Emmanuel Macron has been accused by equality campaigners of not keeping his promise to stop violence against women and girls after the government kept a new minister accused of rape by two women.