First Trial in France Targets Buyer of Child-Like Sex Doll from Chinese Website

On January 2, 2026, a man stood trial in Aix-en-Provence for purchasing a child-like sex doll online, marking one of France's first legal actions against buyers amid a wider controversy over pedopornographic dolls obtained from Chinese platforms. The 56-year-old defendant, previously convicted of sexual assault, admitted to ordering the doll for sexual purposes from Hydoll.fr, a site operated by a Hong Kong company and still accessible in France.

This case originated two months earlier when a delivery company alerted authorities after discovering such a doll in a parcel from China. French law prohibits the distribution of pornographic images or representations of minors, punishable by up to five years in prison and a €75,000 fine. Sarah El-Haïry, the High Commissioner for Children, condemned the purchase, emphasizing that such objects fuel pedocriminal impulses.

The trial highlights growing concerns over the sale of illegal sexual objects on Chinese e-commerce platforms. A December crackdown led to about twenty arrests of suspects who ordered similar dolls from sites like Shein and AliExpress. Notably, one arrested man received a two-year prison sentence for possession of pedopornographic material and sexual assault on a minor. Earlier in 2023, another individual was imprisoned for three months after purchasing a similar doll on Amazon.

This legal proceeding signals France's increased efforts to address the ethical and criminal implications of child-like sex dolls being sold online, underscoring the complexities of regulating such materials amid global e-commerce.