Lyhanna case: feminist gathering outside Auch courthouse
Activists gathered on Monday outside Auch tribunal to denounce the institutional failings revealed following the death of young Lyhanna.
Lyhanna case: feminist gathering outside Auch courthouse
On Monday 22 June, a handful of feminist activists and several citizens gathered outside Auch tribunal during a heat wave. Despite a ban on outdoor gatherings imposed by the Gers prefect, the protesters placed a gagged teddy bear at the feet of the courthouse gates.
This mobilisation followed the publication of an inspection report revealing multiple failings in the judicial handling preceding Lyhanna's death. The executive quickly imposed sanctions against a magistrate in the prosecutor's office and two gendarmes. Jérôme Barella, the principal suspect in the teenager's homicide, had faced no charges despite a complaint being filed against him for repeated sexual assaults on a ten-year-old child.
Among the protesters was Fabienne, whose older sister was killed forty years ago. "They failed in their duty to protect," she said, stating that she was satisfied with the disciplinary measures announced. According to her, the tragedy in Gers is part of a tragic repetition: "It is not an isolated case. We will end up forgetting, and others will follow."
Activists from the Solidaire union called for a legislative overhaul. "Isolated culprits will not cure a collective pathology," one of them stated. They are preparing a national mobilisation day scheduled for 4 July to demand comprehensive legislation against sexual violence.
Source: franceinfo
Source: France Info