Fifth week of Mazan rape trial begins without main defendant: Dominique Pelicot absent for medical reasons

The Mazan rape trial in Avignon (Vaucluse) began its fifth week of hearings on Monday 30 September, without the presence of Dominique Pelicot, the main defendant in the case. The septuagenarian was excused from appearing for the day due to his state of health.

‘He is unwell and has to undergo a medical operation this afternoon. I have therefore excused him from attending the hearing today. We will reassess his situation at the end of the day in order to decide what to do tomorrow’, said Roger Arata, President of the Criminal Court, at the opening of the session.

Last Friday, Dominique Pelicot had already undergone a medical examination, which had been planned for several days. However, no hearing had been scheduled for that day, which had not disrupted the progress of the trial. His lawyer, Béatrice Zavarro, told AFP that the examination had been carried out ‘without complications’ and that her client would be present on Monday.

The trial, which began on September 2 and was due to continue until December 20, had already been interrupted twice in mid-September, due to intestinal problems that required the defendant to rest.