Julie Zitouni Initiates Legal Action Over Miss France 2026 Cyberharassment and Defamation

Julie Zitouni, the former Miss Provence who was stripped of her title on December 9 after a controversial video surfaced where she made derogatory remarks about the Miss France 2026 semi-finalists, has announced that she will file legal complaints for defamation and cyberharassment. According to her lawyer, Me Xavier Pizarro, Zitouni has been the target of relentless online harassment and defamatory comments, including threats and calls for violence, which have caused her significant psychological distress.

Zitouni plans to sue the influencer Aqababe for defamation, who falsely claimed Zitouni was disqualified from the competition for smoking marijuana. Additionally, she will file a complaint against unidentified individuals responsible for abusive online behavior. Despite issuing public apologies and explaining that her remarks were made jokingly after a comment by a chaperone, Zitouni reports receiving tens of thousands of hateful messages. She has described the campaign against her as a "cabal" on social media.

The Miss France organization condemned the online hate and reaffirmed their core values of respect and kindness. Frédéric Gilbert, head of Miss France, urged for responsible and respectful conduct toward candidates. Miss France 2026 herself has expressed a desire to move beyond the controversy.

This legal move underscores ongoing concerns over cyberharassment and defamation associated with the high-profile national pageant, highlighting the broader challenges candidates face in the social media era.