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French courts drop rape case against film director Luc Besson

The Paris court of appeal on Tuesday confirmed the dropping of rape accusations against French film director Luc Besson, one of the highest profile controversies of the #MeToo era in the country.

French courts drop rape case against film director Luc Besson
French director Luc Besson. Photo by Stefanie LOOS / AFP

Dutch-Belgian actress Sand Van Roy had accused Besson — director of the “Fifth Element” and “Leon” — of raping her over a two-year on-off relationship, and filed a complaint against him in May 2018.

Prosecutors dropped the case in February 2019 citing lack of evidence, but a new investigation was opened later that year after Van Roy brought fresh charges.

A French magistrate then closed the case in December 2021 and prosecutors asked for it to be dropped in April.

Besson had always denied the accusations, describing the case in 2019 as “a lie from A to Z”.

“The court confirmed my client’s innocence… Luc Besson regrets these four lost years,” his lawyer Thierry Marembert said after the verdict.

But Van Roy’s lawyer Antoine Gitton said an appeal would immediately be filed for his client with France’s Court of Cassation.

Besson has admitted having a relationship with Van Roy, who had minor roles in his films “Taxi 5” and “Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets”.

She filed the initial complaint for rape in May 2018 hours after meeting Besson, before filing another complaint two months later for other alleged rapes and sexual assaults.

At least three other women have made allegations of sexual harassment against Besson but he has always denied all the allegations.

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CRIME

Teen held in France over ‘die a martyr’ Olympics messages

A 16-year-old boy has been arrested in France after he allegedly said on social media he wanted to make an explosive belt and die a martyr at the Paris Olympics this summer, officials said.

Teen held in France over 'die a martyr' Olympics messages

The teenager from the department of Haute-Savoie in southeastern France was arrested on Tuesday, said the anti-terrorist prosecutor’s office, adding a probe had been launched on Wednesday.

The teenager was arrested “following his statements on social media announcing his intention to make an explosive belt with a view to dying a martyr,” the anti-terrorist prosecutor’s office said.

During a search of his parents’ home, handwritten papers were discovered in which the teen had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group, a police source said.

According to the same source, the teenager admitted to having planned to commit a “terrorist act” using a gun or explosive belt at La Défense, the business district west of the capital that is also home to an arena hosting swimming and water polo competitions during the Games.

The anti-terrorist prosecutor’s office said work was under way to determine the teen’s exact intentions.

The DGSI, France’s domestic intelligence agency, is conducting an investigation.

France is hosting the Olympic Games in Paris from July 26th to August 11th, with security during the event a major concern.

In March the government raised its terror alert to the highest level.

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