An Ivorian television host who had aroused indignation for having invited an ex-rapist to explain how he abused his victims, was sentenced Wednesday in Abidjan to 12 months in prison suspended for "apologia for rape" and " offence against decency ".
Two days after the show, the host, Yves de M'Bella, and the ex-rapist, Kader Traoré, were initially heard by the police before being brought for immediate appearance before the criminal court of 'Abidjan.
In addition to the 12-month suspended sentence, Mr. de M'Bella was also fined two million FCFA (3,000 euros) and was banned from leaving Abidjan.
Kader Traoré, who had already been sentenced in the past for rape and assault and battery, was sentenced to 24 months in prison and a 500,000 FCFA (750 euros) fine for the same reasons.
His lawyer decided to appeal.
"It's disgusting, inadmissible, disrespectful"
Bénédicte Joan, president of the Stop au chat noir association which comes to the aid of rape victims, acknowledged that "there was a commendable effort by the justice system which acted quickly", but she regretted the reprieve for Mr. . of M'Bella "who will not go to jail", as well as the small amount of the fine. She would also have liked to order the payment of "damages" to associations for the defense of women's rights and aid to victims of sexual violence.
Monday evening at prime time and in public, Yves de M'Bella had invited in his program on the New Ivorian channel (NCI, private television) - supposed to denounce the rape - Kader Traoré to whom he asked to explain how he went about it to abuse his victims with the help of a dummy. He had even helped him to lay the mannequin on the floor, prompting him to show the gestures he was making, all accompanied by inappropriate laughter and comments, then asking him for his "advice" so that a woman would never fall out. do not violate.
This program immediately aroused the indignation of personalities, anonymous and rape victims who demanded sanctions against the host and his channel.
“Tell me that I am dreaming”, had written on Facebook Priss'K, Ivorian artist and humorist.
“It is disgusting, inadmissible, disrespectful, especially towards women.
Rape is so degrading, dehumanizing for the victim ”.
Two days later, the indignation remained intact and a petition launched Monday evening by Désirée Dénéo, secretary general of the Ivorian League for Women's Rights, to denounce the facts and demand sanctions, had collected more than 46,500 signatures on Wednesday.
"No to the trivialization of rape on television"
The High Authority for Audiovisual Communication (Haca) had as of Tuesday suspended Yves de M'Bella for thirty days from all antennas and televisions in Côte d'Ivoire.
The organizing committee of the Miss Côte d'Ivoire competition which takes place on Saturday, has also decided that it will not host the evening as initially planned.
A dozen women gathered on Wednesday morning in front of the NCI headquarters in Abidjan to say "No to the trivialization of rape on television".
“It's a very popular channel in a country where the illiteracy rate is high.
People see things on TV and reproduce them, ”said Fatim Sylla, blogger and member of the association for the development of women and children Allo Bénévoles.
"So let's use television to educate."
There are no official statistics on rape in Côte d'Ivoire.
For the 2018-2019 judicial year, the Ministry of Justice indicates that it has identified 481 cases of conviction for rape, but most sexual assaults are not the subject of complaints, according to women's rights NGOs.
In a survey of 5,556 people published in June, the NGO Citizens for the Promotion and Defense of the Rights of Children, Women and Minorities (CPDEFM), identified in two years in the city of Abidjan 416 feminicides, 2,000 cases of violence against women, including 1,290 cases of marriage of girls under 18 and 1,121 rapes.
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