A high-profile lawyer defending two men in the Monster of Avignon rape trial has sparked outrage after posting a video of herself dancing to Wham’s hit ‘Wake Me Up Before You Go Go’
Nadia El Bouroumi, 45, is one of the most high-profile lawyers in the case. Critics accuse her of downplaying the crimes of Dominque Pelicot, 71, who is accused along with 50 other men of raping his wife Gisele, also 71, using powerful anesthetics.
The unmistakable link between the 1980s classic and Pelicot’s modus operandi was highlighted by local newspaper La Provence, which said the reference to “the chemical subjugation of the victim” was clear and “difficult to ignore”.
At various points during the trial, Mrs. El Bouroumi can be heard raising her voice and loudly criticizing Mrs. Pelicot. She attempts to cast doubt on her sexual behavior, in an attempt to defend her clients Omar Douiri and Jean Marc Leloup.
Nadia El Bouroumi, a lawyer for two of the suspects, was criticized for singing “Wake Me Up Before You Go Go” as she drove to court
Ms El Bouroumi, pictured, has been criticised for her choice of song, given the nature of the claims against her clients
Dominique Pélicot, left, is accused of recruiting men online to repeatedly attack his wife over a period of 10 years
Gisele Pelicot, 72, pictured, claims she was raped by 50 men over a ten-year period while she was under the influence of sleeping pills and tranquilisers she was unaware of.
To punish her critics, she posted a clip of herself dancing behind the wheel of her car on Instagram, minutes before she was due to appear in court in Avignon in the south of France for the remainder of the trial.
The mother of two wrote: ‘To all the extremists who think they can muzzle me! This is for you!’ She could be seen bobbing up and down and flexing her arm muscles as she smiled and laughed for the camera.
Ms El Bouroumi, who has more than 51,000 followers on social media, added: ‘You will never silence me because you think my opinion or point of view doesn’t suit you… this song is for everyone who has to wake up early before they can silence me.
‘I was beaten and raped when I was younger and I didn’t become hateful towards men. I don’t confuse my story with anyone else’s.
“All those right-thinking people who insult and slander me under the pretext of defending one woman are working hard to defend another! May God forgive us our transgressions!”
Last week, 27 shocking images and three video clips were shown showing Mrs Pelicot in various nude and semi-nude poses with her ex-husband and other men. These images were seized from his devices as part of the investigation.
They were displayed after Mrs Pelicot gave her permission and raised eyebrows at Mrs El Bouroumi’s aggressive defence stance after they were displayed in the courtroom, which had since been cleared of the public.
The lawyer raised her voice and said: ‘She (Mrs. Pelicot) says she can’t remember anything, but those who have received photos of her can see that she is there, that she is moving and that she is speaking.’
She added: ‘When you see these kinds of pictures you can tell yourself that this is a woman who enjoys sexual games.’
Ms El Bouroumi later said that she had never denied Ms Pelicot her victim status, but that she wanted to point out inconsistencies between her testimony and the expertise of the chemical complaint, adding that “in a democracy she has the right to be a lawyer”.
However, her Instagram video was condemned by Nicolas Hervieu, a law professor at the University of Evry near Paris, who said: ‘The freedom of expression of lawyers does not give them the right to paint a violent, vulgar or cynical picture of their profession.’
Caroline Darian left the courtroom at her mother’s request, prior to some graphic testimony
Nadia El Bouroumi, pictured, has rejected criticism of her handling of the case
Mrs El Bouroumi, pictured left, posted the controversial video on her Instagram page
Corsican-based lawyer Jean-Pierre Ribaut-Pasqualini wrote: ‘With your publications you influence the entire image of the profession.
‘I just watched the video (one of the videos?) posted by the colleague intervening in the Mazan case. I am shocked and devastated.
“I feel like the hearing is getting out of hand now. It’s dramatic.”
Another colleague, Marseille-based Alain Lothe, said: ‘Spreading this kind of thing on social media and singing this verse seems to me undignified and not in line with the demands we make as lawyers.’
Pelicot admitted in court to his involvement in the decade-long abuse of his wife, whom he had sedated, which lasted until 2020 at their home in the village of Mazan, a half-hour drive from Avignon.
Eighteen others accused with him are in custody, while the rest have been released on bail. One of them is said to have fled the country and fourteen of the accused have admitted to raping Ms Pelicot.
Police began investigating Pelicot after he was arrested in 2020 for upskirting women in a supermarket in Carpentras, near his home. They later found thousands of images of his abused wife on his laptop.
Detectives have recorded a total of 92 rapes of Ms Pelicot, committed by 83 men, 51 of whom have been identified, ranging in age from 26 to 73.
He allegedly drugged his wife by putting Temesta in her dinner. Suspected attackers include civil servants, prison guards, a retired firefighter, a councillor and truck drivers.
In another case, Pelicot has been charged with the rape and murder of a 23-year-old real estate agent in Paris in 1991.
The former electrician, who is confined to a wheelchair and surrounded by security guards during the hearing, has also confessed to being raped once in 1999 after DNA tests linked him to the attack.
The case is expected to last until December, after which the trial will continue.
Ms Pelicot was in court as details of her ordeal were shown to judges