The soap opera continues between the controversial comedian and the politician.
Dieudonné was sentenced Tuesday to a fine of 3,000 euros by the criminal court of Nanterre (Hauts-de-Seine) for having defamed former Prime Minister Manuel Valls by accusing him of sexual assault, AFP learned from lawyers from both parties.
In addition to the fine, the comedian was ordered to pay the sum of 3,000 euros in damages to the politician and 2,000 euros for procedural costs.
In a video broadcast on October 22, 2020, now unavailable online, Dieudonné declared that he was “aware” of a complaint filed by a “young girl” against Manuel Valls, presented as an “attacker of good women” at a time when the latter would have been a professor of history and geography.
He claimed that the former Prime Minister of François Hollande had been in police custody and insulted him.
“A textbook case of defamation”
Manuel Valls had filed a complaint with the constitution of a civil party on November 3, 2020. During the hearing, which was held on February 6, the lawyer of the ex-minister, Thibault de Montbrial, denounced Dieudonné's allegations calling them “a bunch of nonsense”.
The council notably recalled that his client had never been a history and geography teacher.
“Grossly false and driven by obvious personal animosity, Dieudonné's comments are a textbook case of defamation.
This conviction shows that the court has taken stock of their seriousness,” the lawyer told AFP.
The prosecution, which had requested a fine of 10,000 euros, had for its part described Dieudonné's comments as “abject and unworthy”.
Neither Manuel Valls nor Dieudonné were present during the hearing.
“These are two men who are going back to back,” argued Jacques Verdier, counsel for Dieudonné, who did not wish to comment on the decision.
For Dieudonné, this is his 31st conviction by French justice.
He was also prosecuted in Switzerland, Belgium and Canada.
The controversial 58-year-old comedian has already been convicted on multiple occasions, notably for racial insults and inciting hatred.