Court of Appeal Sends Achraf Hakimi to Trial on Rape Charge

Overview

• The Versailles Court of Appeal rejected Hakimi’s appeal on Friday, June 19, confirming the case will be referred to the criminal court in Hauts-de-Seine and that no public trial date has yet been set.
• The accusation dates to February 2023 when a 24-year-old woman said she met Hakimi via Instagram, went to his Paris-suburbs residence, and was raped after he kissed and touched her without consent.
• Hakimi has long denied the accusations, posted on social media that he will present his version at trial, and remains with Morocco’s World Cup squad while the legal process continues.
• Judicial records show Hakimi was indicted and placed under judicial control in March 2023, and magistrates concluded there are “sufficient indications” to send the case to trial which is a procedural step not a finding of guilt.
• The decision drew sharply divided reactions with the complainant’s lawyer calling it a judicial victory and the defense citing alleged inconsistencies, and it intensifies public scrutiny of how courts handle high-profile sexual-assault claims.