Photo File: Gisele Pelicot

Gisele Pelicot, the 72-year-old woman who became a global symbol of courage and resistance in the face of unspeakable sexual abuse, on Wednesday returned to court to confront the only man among 50 convicted offenders who still maintains his innocence.

Pelicot, whose harrowing ordeal at the hands of her now-jailed husband and dozens of other men shocked the world, stood face-to-face with 44-year-old Husamettin Dogan during his appeal hearing in the southern French city of Nimes.

Her former husband, Dominique Pelicot, also 72, admitted last year to drugging her with sedatives and inviting strangers to rape and abuse her repeatedly over nearly a decade. He was sentenced to the maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Forty-nine other men were also convicted in the case and have not appealed their sentences.

However, Dogan, who was sentenced to nine years imprisonment for rape, has returned to court, maintaining he did nothing wrong. His insistence on innocence forced Pelicot to relive her trauma, yet again, before the court and the public.

“She would have much preferred to stay where she is and focus on her new life and her future,” her lawyer, Antoine Camus, told AFP.

But “she needs to see this through to the end,” he added.

Despite overwhelming video and photographic evidence, Dogan has refused to accept guilt. According to investigators, a hard drive belonging to Dominique Pelicot contained 107 photographs and 14 videos from the night in 2019 when Dogan visited the couple’s home. The disturbing footage allegedly shows Dogan penetrating an unconscious Gisele and attempting to force her into oral sex.

She remains “astounded by the (defendant’s) continued denial despite the material evidence,” Camus added.

Ahead of her testimony on Wednesday, some of the graphic content was played in court.

In damning testimony on Tuesday, Dominique Pelicot told the court that Dogan had been fully aware of the situation.

“I never forced anyone,” Dominique said, directly contradicting Dogan’s claims that he had been “trapped.”

Dominique testified that Dogan knew Gisele would be “asleep” and described how Dogan had performed various acts on her. He also alleged that Dogan had asked for help, “He asked me to lift her leg to help him penetrate her from the side,”

Dominique told the court.

Earlier Tuesday investigator Jeremie Bosse-Platiere also took apart Dogan’s arguments, citing the video footage.

“I have no doubt that he was fully aware of the victim’s condition,” he said.

“Anyone who sees the videos understands this immediately.”

The police commissioner described a video in which Gisele Pelicot was seen moving slightly and Dogan immediately withdrawing.

“We understand that he is worried that his victim might wake up and freezes in a waiting position,” said Bosse-Platiere.

Dogan claims he stayed at the couple’s home for just half an hour, but the investigator said he had remained at the scene for “at least 3 hours and 24 minutes”, according to the video timeline.

He risks a maximum of 20 years in jail.

The verdict is expected on Thursday.