Increased Sentencing Demanded in Mazan Rape Case Amid Ongoing Femicide Tragedies in France
Judicial authorities demand harsher sentences in the Mazan rape trial as a separate femicide case in Gard underscores the persistent crisis of violence against women in France.
- • Prosecutor requested 12-year sentence for Husamettin Dogan in Mazan rape appeal trial, up from 9 years originally.
- • Dogan denies responsibility despite video evidence; court rejects outdated views on consent.
- • In Gard, a woman was found stabbed in a car trunk; her partner arrested and requires psychiatric care.
- • France recorded 96 domestic femicides in 2023, with men responsible for 82% of cases.
Key details
On October 9, 2025, significant developments unfolded in the fight against violence toward women in France. In Nîmes, during the appeal trial for the Mazan rapes, prosecutor Dominique Sié demanded a tougher sentence of twelve years in prison for Husamettin Dogan—the only defendant who had appealed after being initially sentenced to nine years. Sié emphasized Dogan’s continuous denial of responsibility despite disturbing video evidence and stressed that in 2025, consent cannot be assumed simply because a victim did not verbally object. She poignantly described rape as a “little death” that destroys the victim’s life, criticizing outdated notions still present in attitudes towards sexual assault (ID 93276).
Meanwhile, in Gard, authorities arrested a 26-year-old man after his 37-year-old partner was found stabbed to death in the trunk of a car in Cornillon. The victim showed recent signs of knife violence, and an investigation for aggravated voluntary homicide has been launched. The suspect required immediate psychiatric care upon arrest. This tragic case aligns with broader concerns over domestic femicides in France; official statistics from November 2024 indicated 96 domestic femicides in 2023, with men responsible for 82% of these cases (ID 93366).
These two cases highlight ongoing societal and legal challenges France faces with regard to violence against women. The prosecution’s call in the Mazan case reflects a judicial determination to confront sexual violence more severely, rejecting defenses based on archaic views of consent. Simultaneously, the death in Gard adds to the grim tally of femicides, underscoring the urgent need for continued vigilance and legal response.
Prosecutor Sié’s remarks to the court underscored a cultural shift still in progress regarding victim shaming and perpetrator accountability, noting that societal disgrace should demand a reversal to focus on offenders rather than victims. The Mazan case verdict is expected shortly, with Dogan facing up to twenty years in prison.
Together, these developments paint a sobering picture of the legal and societal battles France continues to wage against violence targeting women, underscoring both judicial resolve and the ongoing human toll of femicide and sexual violence (ID 93276, ID 93366).