French actor Gérard Depardieu, accused of rape in 2020, places his Legion of Honor “at the disposal” of the Minister of Culture, who announced a disciplinary procedure that could lead to the cancellation of this award, his lawyers said on Saturday in a press release sent to AFP.
The latter question the approach of Minister Rima Abdul Malak and wonder whether this is not the case […] This is not an additional blow to the already dying presumption of innocence.
Gérard Depardieu, 74, was charged with rape in 2020 following a complaint from French actress Charlotte Arnould. The actor denies the allegations.
Maîtres Béatrice Geissmann Achille and Christian Saint-Palais also wonder whether it is Rima Abdul Malak's job to participate so actively in the manhunt and media lynchings of which they believe their client is the victim .
Ms. Abdul Malak announced on Friday that a council of the Order of the Legion of Honor would meet and initiate disciplinary proceedings to decide whether that order belongs to the Legion of Honor [devait] be suspended or not, withdrawn completely or not.
It will be up to them to decide, she said on France 5.
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French Minister of Culture Rima Abdul-Malak.
Photo: Getty Images / LUDOVIC MARIN
Gérard Depardieu received the Legion of Honor from President Jacques Chirac in 1996.
Created by Emperor Napoleon I at the beginning of the 19th century, this award rewards civilians and soldiers for deeds and services rendered to France. Many artists receive this award.
The code of the Legion of Honor stipulates that behavior contrary to honor can be punished with reprimand, suspension or expulsion from the order.
Shame and disgust
On Friday, the minister said she was outraged by the actor's comments and attitude during a trip to North Korea in 2018 that shamed France.
In these images, revealed in a report from the Complément d'investigation program broadcast on France 2 in early December, the former holy monster of French cinema repeats misogynistic and offensive remarks while addressing women, including a little girl .
The actor's lawyers criticized a controversial and questionable program that broadcasts a montage of images from the intimate and private areas in their press release published on Saturday.
At the same time as Complément d'investigation was broadcast, French actress Hélène Darras filed a second complaint of sexual assault committed during filming in 2007. The actor also denies these allegations.
In addition, an investigation was launched to determine the causes of death in early December of 60-year-old actress Emmanuelle Debever, who allegedly committed suicide. She accused Gérard Depardieu of sexual violence in particular in a Facebook message in 2019, the Paris public prosecutor's office said on Wednesday.