French Court Upholds Increased Sentence in Mass Rape Case

A French court on Thursday upheld and extended the sentence of Husamettin Dogan, a former construction worker previously convicted of the aggravated rape of Gisele Pelicot.

The case, which involved 51 men, garnered global attention as Pelicot bravely waived her anonymity to challenge her perpetrators in court. Her testimony became a rallying cry against sexual violence in France.

Dogan, the lone appellant of the group, claimed ignorance of the crime, stating through his lawyer that he believed it to be a consensual encounter. However, the court dismissed his appeal, raising his sentence to 10 years.