Ten individuals found guilty of cyber-bullying directed at Brigitte Macron

A Paris court has found guilty ten people for perpetrating the digital intimidation of Brigitte Macron, the spouse of France's leader, Emmanuel Macron.

The defendants faced charges of spreading untruths regarding her gender and sexuality, in addition to posting hurtful comments about the pair's age disparity of 24 years.

The court handed down suspended jail terms of up to eight months to the perpetrators. The detailed judgment has yet to be released.

A circulating conspiracy theory suggesting that Brigitte Macron is a person assigned male at birth has spread widely since her husband's first electoral victory in 2017.

This latest legal outcome in France comes as the Macrons pursuing a libel case in the United States of America against conservative commentator Candace Owens, who has likewise promoted similar conspiracy theories about the French president's wife's identity.

Their legal filing contends that Owens brushed aside all credible evidence that refuted her assertions in favour of amplify the voices of notorious conspiracy peddlers.

Owens has often echoed these claims on her digital program and online platforms, and in March 2024 stated that she would stake her entire professional reputation on her belief that Mrs. Macron was born a man.

Brigitte Macron first met her now-husband when she worked as an educator at his lycée.

The two entered into matrimony in 2007, when the future French president was 29 and she was in her mid-50s.