Four men to face trial over online harassment of France's first lady Brigitte Macron

Four men are set to appear in court next year in Paris over accusations of online harassment targeting French First Lady Brigitte Macron, as reported by AFP.

The public prosecutor revealed that a hearing will be held in July, with a trial scheduled for the end of October. The charges stem from disinformation and malicious comments about Macron's gender, sexuality, and the 24-year age difference with her husband, President Emmanuel Macron.

The harassing comments included accusations likening her to a paedophile.

The investigation followed a complaint filed by Brigitte Macron in August, leading to charges of cyber harassment and incitement to commit an offence.

Among the accused is Aurelien Poirson-Atlan, a publicist with ties to conspiracy theory circles, known on social media as "Zoe Sagan." His lawyer, Juan Branco, has condemned the charges, accusing the public prosecutor of pursuing a politically motivated case.

This case is part of a broader issue of online harassment and disinformation, including false claims that Brigitte Macron was transgender.

A French court recently ordered two women to pay 8,000 euros ($8,400) in damages for spreading such false claims, which led to further online attacks by conspiracy theorists and far-right groups.

The online harassment of prominent public figures, such as Macron and French DJ Barbara Butch, who was targeted with death threats after performing at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony, has become a concerning trend.

As per AFP, the accused in these cases face up to two years in prison if convicted.