PARIS, FRANCE – Ten individuals went on trial in a Paris criminal court on Monday, 27 October 2025, facing charges of sustained online harassment against French First Lady Brigitte Macron. The case, which could see the defendants imprisoned for up to two years if convicted, centres on the persistent and baseless conspiracy theory that the 72-year-old was born male under the name "Jean-Michel Trogneux," who is, in fact, her brother. This high-profile legal battle highlights a growing global challenge: the fight against targeted, gender-based disinformation, an issue with significant resonance in Kenya.

The proceedings in Paris are part of a broader, two-front legal war waged by the Macrons. In addition to the French criminal complaint filed by Mrs. Macron in August 2024, she and President Emmanuel Macron launched a separate civil defamation lawsuit in the United States in July 2025 against right-wing American podcaster Candace Owens for amplifying the same falsehoods to her millions of followers. The U.S. lawsuit decries a “campaign of global humiliation” and “relentless bullying on a worldwide scale,” according to court filings.

The ten defendants in the Paris trial—eight men and two women aged between 41 and 60—are accused of making numerous malicious online comments about Mrs. Macron's gender, sexuality, and the 24-year age difference with her husband, which some posts equated to "paedophilia," according to prosecutors. Among the accused are a self-proclaimed spiritual medium, Delphine J. (also known as Amandine Roy), and a publicist, Aurélien Poirson-Atlan, who is known in conspiracy theory circles. The court heard that Brigitte Macron described the online attacks as "hateful" and detailed the painful impact on her grandchildren.

A Familiar Pattern: The Kenyan Context

While the events are unfolding thousands of kilometres away, the case serves as a stark mirror to the political landscape in Kenya and East Africa. Here, online harassment and the deliberate spread of disinformation, often with a sharp gendered edge, have become potent political tools. Female politicians, journalists, and activists in Kenya are frequently subjected to coordinated online attacks that aim to discredit them professionally and personally through fabricated stories, doctored images, and vicious rumours about their private lives.

This issue is not merely anecdotal; it is a recognised threat to democratic participation and public life. These digital smear campaigns often follow a similar pattern to the one targeting Macron, leveraging social anxieties and prejudices to undermine the credibility of influential women. The goal is often to silence their voices and discourage them from participating in the public sphere.

Kenya has a legal framework designed to combat such behaviour. The Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act of 2018 criminalises a range of online offences, including the publication of false information and cyber harassment. Under a recent amendment signed into law on 15 October 2025, the penalties for cyber harassment have been significantly increased, with offenders facing fines of up to KSh 20 million, a prison sentence of up to ten years, or both. This demonstrates a legislative intent to tackle the problem, yet enforcement remains a significant challenge.

A Global Test for Digital Accountability

The French trial is a critical test case for holding individuals accountable for online abuse. The potential two-year prison sentence in France is a severe penalty for online harassment, reflecting a growing consensus in Europe that such behaviour causes tangible harm. The chief judge in the Paris case noted that the defendants' posts had caused a “deterioration” in the first lady's “physical and mental health.”

The outcome of both the Paris trial and the U.S. lawsuit will be watched closely by legal experts and policymakers worldwide, including in Kenya. A conviction in the criminal case could set a powerful precedent, potentially deterring similar online campaigns by demonstrating that anonymity does not grant impunity. Conversely, an acquittal could embolden purveyors of disinformation.

For Kenya, the Macron case underscores the importance of robustly enforcing its own cybercrime laws while safeguarding freedom of expression. It highlights the universal nature of digital harassment and the shared international struggle to balance accountability with liberty in the internet age. As prominent women globally, from former U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama to former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, have faced similar gendered attacks, this trial is not just about Brigitte Macron; it is about the integrity of the digital public square.