88,000 cases of sexual violence against minors re-examined across France
Following the murder of young Lyhanna, the Ministry of Justice ordered a review of 88,000 complaints of sexual violence against minors. Several prosecutors have already ordered arrests in cases that had previously stalled.
88,000 cases of sexual violence against minors re-examined across France
All prosecutors across the country have been required to reopen the examination of 88,000 proceedings relating to sexual assaults committed against children. This instruction was issued by the Keeper of the Seals following the murder of Lyhanna, an eleven-year-old child found dead in the Gers. Source: France Info
The investigating magistrate in Alès, Abdelkrim Grini, had to handle two hundred of these cases with the assistance of other judges. From this batch, seven were referred to an investigating judge. Four suspects were imprisoned and three others placed under judicial supervision.
Among the reopened cases is that of a man accused of sexually abusing two nephews. For four years, no deprivation of liberty measures had been taken. The prosecutor finally gave the order to arrest the individual concerned. According to the prosecutor, investigative services, overwhelmed by their workload, had not sufficiently assessed the seriousness of certain situations.
Lawyer Marine Allali, who represents rape victims, observed a marked acceleration. One of her cases involved four complaints of sexual assault against young boys. After a year of inaction, she sent a letter to the magistrate. Less than a week later, the defendant was in police custody and subsequently imprisoned. "Without the Lyhanna case and the review of these complaints, our cases would still be waiting," she stated.
The Ministry of Justice was expected to provide an update on the progress of this massive processing on 15 July 2026.
Source: France Info