In mass rape trial, prosecutors demand maximum sentence for Gisele Pelicot’s ex-husband

After hearings stretching over nearly three months, the trial of 51 defendants in the southern city of Avignon is beginning to wrap up

A mammoth rape trial in France moved into a new phase Monday as prosecutors began to lay out the verdicts and punishments they want for dozens of men accused of raping Gisele Pelicot while she was drugged and rendered unconscious by her husband.

After hearings stretching over nearly three months, the trial of 51 defendants in the southern city of Avignon is beginning to wrap up. Pelicot’s courage during the harrowing proceedings has helped transform her into an icon, even beyond France, for campaigners fighting against sexual violence.