France: Giselle Pelico applauded in Court – Dominique burns his co-conspirators

Giselle Pelico was applauded on her exit today from Avignon’s courtroom in , after the midday break of the trial for her mass rapes by her husband Dominique Pelico and 50 more men. “Zizel! Giselle!”, “Bravo, ma’am!” and “To change sides the shame” were rhythmically chanted by many gathered outside the court of France, after attending today’s proceedings from a next room. Many of her conventioners congratulated her and expressed their gratitude. This trial-station for sexual abuse and chemical submission began on September 2 and is expected to last many months. Peliko, smiling, thanked people but did not want to make a statement to the many journalists waiting for her. Earlier, she heard for about four hours her ex-husband, Dominique Pelico, speak for the first time from the defendant’s stand on the case, without reacting and without letting any emotion appear. After lunch break, many of the accused returning to the hall were booed by the crowd. All of them hid their faces wearing protective masks for Covid-19 or with their hoods and bowed their heads, as French Agency journalists saw. 71-year-old Dominique Pelico and 50 men from 26 to 74 are charged with rape. Giselle Peliko refused to conduct the closed-door trial, as she had the right and, on the contrary, requested it to become public. Last weekend 10,000 people protested in France to express their support and denounce the “culture of rape”. Peliko “burns” his co-defendants: “They were fully aware of Giselle’s situation” “They knew everything, I gave them my phone number,” said Dominique Pelico about his co-defendants who met them on the Coco chat site and especially in a particular chat room, called “A son insu” (Without knowing it). “We went private and told them it was to abuse my sleeping wife”. Pelico sent pictures of Giselle, “without her face and always without her knowing it.” “The instruction was to come with tests and condoms. Some came without condoms. I left them,” he then said. Any of them worried about Giselle Pelico’s health status? The defendant was asked to answer that he was not asked any relevant questions and did what they wanted. “No questions were asked about this. They did what they wanted.” It is noted that Dominique Pelic admitted today (17,09,2024) before the court that and stated that his wife “was not worth” what he suffered for a decade. “I am a rapist like those in this Chamber. They know everything, they cannot claim otherwise,” said 71-year-old Dominique Pelico and referred to his 50 co-conspirators who are on trial with him. “I am guilty… I pray my wife, my children, my grandchildren to accept my apology. I regret what I did. I ask your forgiveness, although it is unforgivable.” Dominique Pelico testified, bursting into tears every now and then, that he had a difficult childhood and that he himself was a rape victim. My wife “did not deserve this”, she added by first testifying before the Avignon court.. Then he said he was sorry for what he did and apologized. Dominique Pelico made a flashback, crying, in two incidents of sexual violence that he says he lived. First, a rape by a nurse when he was 9 years old. Then, a second traumatic incident when he was apprenticed to a construction site, at age 14, and forced into sexual relations with a woman. “They accuse me of many programs. You’re not born a pervert, you are. No matter how strange it sounds, I never considered my wife an object. Unfortunately, the videos show the opposite.” His former wife and victim in the audience stated when she was called to the seat, according to the French media: “It’s hard to hear from Mr Peliko’s mouth what he just said. For 50 years, I lived with a man… I didn’t imagine for a second that he could proceed with these acts of rape.” Although he has admitted the facts, Peliko has not made a detailed statement. His testimony is crucial to the other defendants, men aged 26 to 74, who are tried with him. Addressing his daughter in the courtroom he said: I can’t say that. I never did that.” Information from AFP, BFMTV