Ten individuals sentenced of cyber-bullying targeting Brigitte Macron

A French judicial body has ruled against ten people for carrying out the online harassment of Brigitte Macron, the wife of the President of France, Emmanuel Macron.

The defendants faced charges of disseminating untruths regarding her gender identity and sexual orientation, in addition to publishing hurtful comments about the pair's 24-year age gap.

The court delivered conditional custodial sentences of as much as eight months to the defendants. The full ruling has not yet been published.

A circulating conspiracy theory suggesting that Brigitte Macron is a trans woman has spread widely since her husband's first electoral victory in 2017.

This latest legal outcome in France coincides with the Macrons initiating a libel case in the United States against political commentator Candace Owens, who has likewise promoted comparable unfounded claims about the French president's wife's identity.

Their lawsuit contends that Owens disregarded substantial counter-evidence that refuted her assertions opting to platforming known conspiracy theorists.

Owens has frequently reiterated these allegations on her podcast and social media channels, and in March 2024 stated that she would stake her entire professional reputation on her belief that Mrs. Macron is biologically male.

Brigitte Macron originally became acquainted with her now-husband when she worked as an educator at his high school.

The pair tied the knot in 2007, when the future French president was 29 and she was in her mid-50s.