A high-profile lawyer defending two men in the Monster of Avignon rape trial has sparked fury after posting a video of herself dancing to Wham’s hit ‘Wake Me Up Before You Go Go’.
Nadia El Bouroumi, 45, has emerged as one of the most prominent defence lawyers in the case, with critics accusing her of belittling the crimes of Dominque Pelicot, 71, who is accused along with 50 other men of raping his wife Gisele, also 71, using powerful tranquilisers.
The unmistakable link between the 1980s classic and Pelicot’s modus operandi was highlighted by local newspaper La Provence, which said the reference to “the chemical submission suffered by the victim” was clear and “hard to miss”.
At various points during the proceedings, Ms El Bouroumi has been heard raising her voice and strongly criticising Ms Pelicot while trying to cast doubt on her sexual behaviour, in an attempt to defend her clients Omar Douiri and Jean Marc Leloup.
Nadia El Bouroumi, a lawyer for two of the defendants, was criticised for singing ‘Wake Me Up Before You Go Go’ as she drove to court.
Ms El Bouroumi, pictured, has been criticised for her choice of song given the nature of the claims against her clients.
Dominique Pélicot, left, is accused of recruiting men online to assault his wife repeatedly over a period of 10 years.
Gisele Pelicot, 72, pictured, claims she was raped by 50 men over a ten-year period while under the influence of sleeping pills and tranquilisers she did not know she was taking.
Responding to her critics, she posted a clip on Instagram of herself dancing behind the wheel of her car just minutes before she was due to appear in court in Avignon, southern France, for the continuation of her trial.
The mother-of-two wrote in the caption: “To all the extremists who think they can muzzle me! This is for you!” She could be seen jumping up and down and pointing at her arm muscles as she smiled and laughed for the camera.
Ms El Bouroumi, who has more than 51,000 followers on social media, added: ‘You will never shut me up because you feel my opinion or position doesn’t suit you… this song is for all those who have to get up early before they can shut me up.
‘When I was younger I was beaten and raped and I didn’t start hating men. I don’t confuse my story with anyone else’s.
‘All the righteous people who insult and denigrate me under the pretext of defending a woman are working hard to defend another! May God forgive us our offenses!’
Last week, 27 graphic images were released, as well as three video clips of Ms Pelicot in various nude and semi-nude poses with her ex-husband and other men, which had been seized from her devices as part of the investigation.
They were displayed after Ms. Pelicot allowed them and there was some surprise at Ms. El Bouroumi’s aggressive defense stance following her display in the courtroom which had been cleared of the public.
The lawyer raised her voice and said: ‘She (Mrs Pelicot) says she doesn’t remember, but those who have received photos of her can see that she is there, she moves, she speaks.’
He added: “When you get photos like these, you can tell yourself that this is a woman who likes sexual games.”
Ms El Bouroumi later said she had never denied Ms Pelicot her status as a victim but wanted to point out the inconsistencies between her testimony and the experience of chemical submission, adding that she had “the right in a democracy to be a defence lawyer”.
However, her Instagram video was condemned by Nicolas Hervieu, a law professor at the University of Evry near Paris, who said: “Lawyers’ freedom of expression does not authorise them to give a violent, vulgar or cynical image of their profession.”
Caroline Darian left the courtroom at her mother’s request before graphic testimony.
Nadia El Bouroumi, pictured, has rejected criticism of her handling of the case.
Ms El Bouroumi, pictured left, posted the controversial video on her Instagram page.
Jean-Pierre Ribaut-Pasqualini, a lawyer based in Corsica, writes: ‘With your publications you influence the entire image of the profession.
I just watched the video (one of the videos?) posted by the colleague involved in the Mazan case. I am shocked and devastated.
“I have the feeling that the audition is out of control. It’s dramatic.”
Another colleague, Alain Lothe, who lives in Marseille, said: “Spreading this kind of thing on social media and singing this verse seems undignified to me and does not meet the demands we have as lawyers.”
Pelicot had admitted in court his involvement in the abuse suffered by his wife for a decade, which he sedated and which took place until 2020 at their home in the town of Mazan, half an hour from Avignon.
Eighteen other defendants are in custody, while the rest are out on bail, although one is said to have left the country, and of the defendants, 14 have admitted raping Ms Pelicot.
Police launched their investigation into Pelicot after he was arrested in 2020 for uplifting women’s skirts at a supermarket in Carpentras near his home and then found thousands of images of his wife being abused on his laptop.
Detectives have listed a total of 92 rapes committed against Ms Pelicot by 83 men, of whom 51 have been identified, aged between 26 and 73.
He is said to have sedated his wife by putting Temesta in her dinner and the alleged attackers include civil servants, prison guards, a retired firefighter, a city councillor and truck drivers.
In a separate case, Pelicot has been charged with raping and murdering a 23-year-old real estate agent in Paris in 1991.
The former electrician, who sat in a wheelchair surrounded by prison guards during the hearing, also admitted to rape in 1999 after DNA evidence linked him to the attack.
The case is expected to last until December and the trial is ongoing.
Ms Pelicot was in court as the judges were shown details of her ordeal.
