Nicolas Hulot case: the Paris prosecutor’s office opens a preliminary investigation for rape against the environmentalist
The Paris prosecutor’s office announced on Friday the opening of a preliminary investigation into counts of rape and sexual assault targeting the former minister and former star host Nicolas Hulot, the day after the broadcast of a television report in which three women accused him with their faces uncovered.
After the special Envoy program broadcast this Thursday, November 25, the Paris prosecutor’s office announces the opening of this preliminary investigation into the counts of “rape” and “sexual assault” for “acts likely to have been committed in Paris at the with regard to a minor victim “, according to the press release published by the public prosecutor.
The investigations were entrusted to the brigade for the protection of minors of the regional directorate of the judicial police, the statement said.
“They will endeavor to determine whether the facts of the statements may characterize a criminal offense and whether, in view of their seniority, the limitation period for public action has been acquired,” the statement added.
Overwhelming testimonies
For 62 minutes, Thursday on France 2, several women accused the former minister of sexual assault and rape, for acts committed between 1989 and 2001. This report also returns to the rape complaint filed in 2008 by Pascale Mitterrand, granddaughter of former president François Mitterrand, against Nicolas Hulot, a complaint dismissed, the facts being prescribed. The newspaper Ebdo, which disappeared shortly after, published a controversial article on the case in February 2018.
Two other women, former TV host Maureen Dor and a former TF1 employee, also gave written testimonies to “Special Envoy”, the show said. As of Wednesday, Nicolas Hulot had anticipated the release of these revelations, evoking “false claims”. He had also announced his withdrawal from public life to protect himself from “dirt”.
“Conscience clear”
Nicolas Hulot assured that he had a “clear conscience” and that his withdrawal was in no way a sign of guilt, but rather that of his “disgust”.
For some time now, the Paris prosecutor’s office has made a habit of systematically opening investigations into accusations of sexual violence against minors, even if the facts seem current. The objective is to verify the facts and to look for possible other non-prescribed assaults.