French people protest against the judicial system after the death of a child
France experienced a week marked by protests in several cities following the murder of Lyhanna, an 11-year-old child.
She had been missing since May 29th, in Fleurance, after leaving school. The girl's body was found six days later, on June 4, in a rural area. The cause of death has not yet been released.
The mobilization gained strength after information came to light that the main suspect in the crime, Jérôme Barella - father of a colleague of Lyhanna's - had already been accused, in August 2025, of rape against another child. Despite the accusations, he was never questioned by authorities.
Protesters took to the streets to demand explanations and demand changes in the French judicial system.
During the events, participants denounced what they consider to be institutional negligence and defended stricter measures to prevent the recurrence of sexual crimes against women and children.
Anne-Cecile Mailfert, from the Women's Foundation (Fondation des Femmes), criticized the government during a protest in Paris on Monday (8).
"We are tired of being treated like idiots. It is clear that the system does not work and that those in positions of responsibility are not doing what they should."
Popular pressure reached the government. Given the repercussion of the case, French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu called an emergency meeting on Tuesday (9), in which he demanded the strengthening of a child protection bill and stricter requirements for filing cases.
The government also plans to propose increasing maximum prison sentences for those convicted of child rape, from 20 years to life imprisonment.
President Emmanuel Macron spoke about the case when Lyhanna was still missing. He acknowledged the existence of "dysfunctions" and flaws in the French judicial system and stated that the government will work to identify responsibilities and correct any structural problems that may have contributed to the situation.
The protests increased pressure on the Minister of Justice and the entire French government, which is already preparing for next year's presidential election.
In addition, they arise following a series of scandals involving minors in France. The Paris school system faces allegations of widespread abuse by non-teaching staff.
Last year, according to the French police, more than 75 thousand minors were victims of sexual violence, an increase of 5% compared to 2024.
Children's and women's rights organizations say that 160,000 children are victims of sexual abuse in France every year and that reports are not dealt with promptly due to a lack of resources, leaving children exposed to abusers.
This, in fact, is one of the points raised by the defense of Lyhanna's family. Lawyer François de Roujou de Boubée claims that greater legal resources could have prevented the girl's death.
Source: CNN