Cyril Hanouna sentenced for defamation to a suspended fine of 500 euros

Europe 1 with AFP 10:02 p.m., May 31, 2022, modified at 10:02 p.m., May 31, 2022

Host Cyril Hanouna was sentenced to a suspended fine of 500 euros on Tuesday for defamation of Swiss art dealer Yves Bouvier during a February 2020 program during which the Zahia affair was discussed.

2,000 euros in damages and 2,000 euros in legal costs

Cyril Hanouna had received on February 25, 2020, in "Touche pas à mon poste" on C8, Abousofiane Moustaïd who had just announced that he had lodged an appeal for review against the decision which had condemned him for pimping in the Zahia case, in June 2015 , to three years' imprisonment, two of which are suspended and a fine of 20,000 euros.

Cyril Hanouna was sentenced on Tuesday for having introduced the guest with these words: "it is thanks to the unpublished testimony of an escort girl that Abousofiane, you hope to obtain a review of the trial since Sarah, an escort girl, aged 49 years, said that it was the Swiss businessman Yves Bouvier who allegedly initiated Zahia's commercial sex and not you".

After a trial in March, the court delivered its judgment on Tuesday and Abousofiane Moustaïd was given the same sentence as the host.

The two men were ordered to jointly pay 2,000 euros in damages and 2,000 euros in legal costs.

Hanouna judged by default

Absent and unrepresented by his lawyer, Cyril Hanouna was tried by default.

Questioned by AFP, his lawyer Me Stéphane Hasbanian said he was unable to comment on the procedure and the decision, which he said he was not aware of.

He specified that he was going to study the possibility of opposing - that is to say, for Mr. Hanouna, being retried.

Mr. Moustaïd's lawyer, Me Yassine Bouzrou, did not wish to comment on the decision.

Mr. Moustaïd was found guilty of defamation for having declared, after several exchanges with the host: "What is very important precisely on this file is that the escort girl who testified gives addresses and especially very specific trips between spring 2009 and spring 2010 where his companion, without mentioning his name, himself had taken the plane tickets so he knew Zahia's age perfectly well (...) She lied to everyone except him who knew about it".