Defendants accused of spreading gender identity rumors against the first lady argued their posts were satire and protected by freedom of expression.
PARIS — French prosecutors requested prison sentences of up to one year on Tuesday for a group of nine people accused of participating in a sustained cyber-harassment campaign against France’s first lady, Brigitte Macron.
The case at the Paris Correctional Court centers on the widespread proliferation of false rumors claiming Ms. Macron was born male under the name Jean-Michel Trogneux.
The prosecution sought sentences ranging from suspended terms to one year in prison, along with fines. For Aurélien Poirson-Atlan, identified as a primary instigator of the harassment campaign, prosecutors requested a 12-month prison sentence and an 8,000-euro fine.
The investigation began after Ms. Macron filed a complaint in August 2024. Authorities charge that the defendants amplified the rumors, which spread rapidly across social media in France and internationally.
During the trial, the defendants’ lawyers argued their clients were protected by freedom of speech and the right to satire, with some citing the precedent of the magazine Charlie Hebdo.
Tiphaine Auzière, Ms. Macron’s daughter and a lawyer, testified that the harassment campaign had caused a decline in her mother’s health and disrupted their family life. A final verdict in the case is expected in the coming weeks.
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