Latest news with #CassationCourt
Irish Examiner
6 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
Lebanese prosecutors appeal against sentences for private Seán Rooney murder
Prosecutors in Lebanon have formally lodged an appeal against the sentences handed down to those who were indicted for the murder of Private Seán Rooney, the Tánaiste has said. The appeals include the sentences handed down for the attempted killing of Trooper Shane Kearney, Corporal Joshua Phelan and Trooper Nathan Bryan. The main defendant at the military tribunal in Beirut was last month sentenced to death, but Simon Harris wrote to the Lebanese Government following the trial to express the disappointment of the Irish Government and in particular of the Rooney family at the leniency of the sentences handed down across the board. While capital punishment is a legal sanction in Lebanon, reports suggest there has been a moratorium on executions since 2004. The main defendant, Mohammad Ayyad, was absent from the proceedings as he was convicted at the military court last month, it is understood. Mr Harris met with Private Rooney's family last week and committed to "holding urgent talks with the Lebanese Justice and Defence Ministers in order to press for an appeal". Those talks took place on Tuesday, according to a statement, with Mr Harris telling Private Rooney's mother, Natasha McCloskey, that a number of steps have been taken. This include: - The appointment of a new military chief prosecutor who now will take over the case; - An appeal against the sentences being formally lodged with the military Cassation Court; - The Lebanese authorities committing to taking urgent steps to ensure the individual convicted of the murder of Private Rooney is taken into custody. Mr Harris said: 'I very much welcome the confirmation today from the Lebanese Justice and Defence Ministers that an appeal has been formally lodged against the sentences handed down in the case of the death of Private Seán Rooney and the injuries of his colleagues. 'I have this afternoon spoken with Seán's mother, Natasha, who I was pleased also to meet last week. 'In my calls with my Lebanese counterparts, I made it clear that the sentences handed down in this case are simply not acceptable and are very disappointing. 'They have caused great upset and insult to the Rooney family and everything must be done to ensure justice is served for Seán and his colleagues who were injured.' Pte Rooney, who was 24 and from Newtowncunningham, Co Donegal, was killed while on UN duty when the armoured vehicle he was driving from south Lebanon to Beirut came under fire in December 2022. Several others were injured in the attack.
Time of India
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Brigitte Macron ‘born a man'? How a YouTube blogger and a clairvoyant's claim shook Emmanuel Macron's wife
Back in December 2021, Amandine Roy, a self-described clairvoyant, and Natacha Rey, an independent blogger, sat down for a four-hour YouTube broadcast. In that video, Rey laid out what she called a 'state lie': that Brigitte Macron, France's First Lady, was actually born Jean-Michel Trogneux , transitioned to female, and hid it all from the public. It wasn't just idle gossip either. They pointed to Brigitte's real brother, who is genuinely named Jean-Michel Trogneux, to lend their theory some weight. Then came a side claim that her first husband, André-Louis Auzière, never really existed before his death in 2020. When these theories hit the internet, they went viral in the conspiracy corners. Brigitte Macron didn't let it slide. She took them to court in January 2022, suing for defamation. First defeat, then a shocking turn A lower court in September 2023 found both women guilty. They were ordered to pay €8,000 to Brigitte Macron and €5,000 to her brother for dragging his name into it. But Roy and Rey didn't back down. They insisted they'd faced 'intimidation by the authorities' who were 'ultra protected' and hell-bent on burying what they framed as a 'state secret'. Last week, the Paris Appeals Court sided with them. It ruled they acted in 'good faith' — their allegations were not defamatory but an expression of belief, however bizarre. So they walked away without paying a cent. The court said the 18 disputed statements in the YouTube video didn't legally add up to defamation. Live Events Brigitte Marcon fights on Brigitte Macron, now 72, says she's 'devastated'. Her lawyers have confirmed she'll appeal the decision to France's Cassation Court. President Emmanuel Macron has blasted the rumour as 'false information' that 'disturbs intimacy'. Tiphaine Auzière, Brigitte's daughter, called it 'grotesque harassment'. This isn't just fringe chatter either. Earlier this year, American commentator Candace Owens picked up the torch with a video titled Becoming Brigitte: An Introduction. She declared, 'When I said that I would stake my entire professional career on the fact that Brigitte Macron, the current First Lady of France, was born a man, there were many people, of course, who did not believe me because that just sounds crazy.' Owens went further, saying, 'More specifically, Brigitte brought the case in regards to a 4-hour YouTube video broadcast… alleging that there were 18 instances of defamation… Brigitte was never attacking the claim that she was born a man. She was being super petty and trying to get them on a technicality of defamation for misspeaking.' She doubled down, claiming 'It was never defamation. It was a witch hunt. Legally speaking, the only proof Brigitte Macron is a woman is her word that she is. There is tons of proof however, that she lived as a man before 'becoming Brigitte'.' Fuel for conspiracies This legal twist has emboldened the rumour mill. Social media posts keep popping up. One user on X (Twitter) wrote, 'Brigitte Macron (born Jean Michel Trogneux) isn't just a man, but the Father of President Macron of France.' Another added, 'Brigitte Macron, The French President Emmanuel Macron's Wife is allegedly a MAN and it's now going Mainstream in France.' A controversial book by journalist Xavier Poussard, Becoming Brigitte, has become fresh tinder for these stories too. So what does all this mean for the public? It's a stark reminder of how sticky conspiracy theories can be when they tap into scandal and suspicion. Despite clear denials, solid evidence, and repeated legal action, the rumour won't die. Instead, the court's latest ruling has given oxygen to claims that were already thriving in the darker corners of the web. Meanwhile, Brigitte Macron continues to stand her ground — rarely commenting in public but defending her name through the courts. And if this latest twist is any clue, the First Lady's legal battle is far from over. The next stop: France's highest court. Whether it puts this story to bed or fans the flames even more remains to be seen.
Extra.ie
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Extra.ie
Brigitte Macron's accusers free to say what they like after appeal court ruling
Two women who had been convicted of defaming the French first lady Brigitte Macron by saying she was 'born a man' were today cleared on appeal. Judges at the Appeal Court in Paris have today ruled that Amandine Roy, who is a 53-year-old clairvoyant, and Natacha Rey, who is 49 and a blogger, had every legal right to make the false allegations. Both women claimed to have been subjected to 'intimidation' by the French authorities and accused 'ultra protected' members of the Paris establishment of trying to cover up a 'state secret'. Brigitte Macron. Pic:Lawyers for Brigitte Macron, who is 72, have indicated that the French First Lady is 'devastated' by the development, and plans to take the case to France's Cassation Court which deals with civil and criminal cases and is the highest court in the land. Ms Macron is currently returning from a State Visit to Britain with her husband, President Emmanuel Macron and was not in court to hear today's judgement. The two women who made the claims had appeared in a Youtube video back in 2021, in which they falsely claimed that Brigitte was in fact born a male, called 'Jean-Michel Trogneax' in 1953, but this is the name of Brigitte's brother, and Trogneux was her surname before her first marriage. French president Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron. Pic: Chesnot/Getty Images The defendants also claimed that Brigitte's first husband, André-Louis Auzière, had never actually existed. Earlier this year, a Judge in Normandy fined the two women around €1,900 euros each, after finding them both guilty of libel, but now they won't have to pay anything and are free to repeat their allegations against Ms Macron. The two women had been sued by Ms Macron in 2022, but were not in court today to hear the judgement which ruled that the assertions made in the video 'do not constitute defamation' and instead represent 'good faith' free speech. It comes as Brigitte Macron finds herself increasingly under attack, not just in France, but right across the globe, with several influencers like American Candace Owen also stirring up outlandish conspiracy theories about the French first lady. Brigitte Macron. Pic: Chesnot/Getty Images 'Becoming Brigitte', a controversial book about her personal life written by journalist Xavier Poussard, is also said to be stirring up conspiracy theories about her. Ms Macron is currently finishing up a State Visit to the UK along with her husband President Emmanuel Macron, despite being in mourning due to the sudden death of her older sister Anne-Marie Trogneux less than a week ago. A spokesperson for the First Lady said 'Madame Macron adored her sister, and the loss has affected her greatly, but she agreed it was her duty to be in the UK alongside her husband, despite it coinciding with a period of mourning'.
Arab Times
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Arab Times
Kuwaiti Woman Has Legal Right to Property Title
KUWAIT CITY, May 24: The Cassation Court has overturned previous rulings by both the Court of First Instance and the Court of Appeal, affirming that a Kuwaiti woman has the legal right to take all necessary steps to obtain a title deed for a disputed property, on equal terms with her ex-husband. In its ruling, the Court confirmed that documentation showed the property in question had been jointly allocated to both the appellant (the woman) and the first respondent (her former husband) in 2003. An official letter sent to the relevant authority at the time clearly stated that the title deed should be issued in the names of both spouses. Representing the appellant, Attorney Hawra Al-Habib argued that the respondent's refusal to proceed with the title issuance amounted to an abuse of legal rights. She maintained that the earlier rulings were flawed and requested that they be set aside. Al-Habib emphasized that marital status at the time of allocation is the key factor in determining co-ownership rights (regardless of any subsequent changes in the relationship), provided all legal conditions are met. She asserted that deviating from this principle undermines the legal framework for establishing ownership rights. The Court ultimately agreed, restoring the woman's equal entitlement to the property.
Arab Times
13-03-2025
- Arab Times
Kuwaiti Teacher Sentenced For Forging Medical Certificates To Secure Undue Salaries
KUWAIT CITY, Mar 14: The Cassation Court today upheld a seven-year prison sentence for a Kuwaiti teacher convicted of forging medical leave over eight years. In addition to the prison term, the court fined the teacher 100,000 dinars for allegedly receiving undue salaries and ordered her to repay double the amount in fines. The case revolves around the accused, who, during the period from February 27, 2017, to May 5, 2022, worked as a teacher under the Ministry of Education. During this time, she unlawfully seized 68,000 dinars from her employer by submitting 17 falsified medical recommendations, which she falsely attributed to the General Medical Council at the Ministry of Health. As a result of these forged documents, her employer granted her exceptional leave, enabling her to receive her monthly salaries without entitlement. She subsequently spent and appropriated these funds for her own use. The court found her guilty of committing forgery in official documents, acting in collusion with an unknown individual and with the assistance of public employees within her employer's organization.
