France's Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin has instructed prosecutors to review approximately 70,000 outstanding child sexual abuse cases by 14 July, a response to widespread anger over the justice system's handling of the murder of an 11-year-old schoolgirl. The girl, identified in media as Lyhanna, disappeared on 29 May in southwestern France and was found dead six days later. It later emerged that authorities had failed to properly investigate her suspected killer, Jérôme Barella, over prior child sexual assault allegations.
Darmanin announced the plan on 8 June, declaring that “not a single senior judge will go on holiday” — nor would he — until he had met with “each and every one of the chief prosecutors” to assess the situation. The 14 July deadline gives prosecutors just over five weeks, meaning they must review roughly 14,000 cases per week, or more than 2,000 per working day.
Government says plan is doable
The French government insists the target is achievable. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Justice, Sacha Straub-Kahn, told European Pulse that the cases are already open and being handled by courts, prosecutors, and investigators. “The aim of reviewing these cases is not to ‘discover’ these files,” he said. The review aims to build a comprehensive picture of where cases are processed and how many exist in each court of appeal.
Another goal is to prioritise cases involving minors who are still minors. “When you're 45, objectively speaking, even if the offences are serious and will be dealt with, the level of protection we expect from the justice system isn't the same as when it's a 12-year-old child who is still 12 and has filed a complaint,” Straub-Kahn said.
However, no dedicated task force will be deployed. Straub-Kahn noted that this is “the primary remit of public prosecutors, chief prosecutors and their teams,” and that additional resources could be discussed after 14 July at the local level.
Critics call it a publicity stunt
Trade unions and private practitioners have poured cold water on the plan. Ségolène Marquet, permanent secretary of the Magistrates' Union and a former juvenile judge, warned that speed could lead to mistakes. “This really seems like a publicity stunt that won't lead to better handling of cases and may even have a perverse effect,” she said. “When we process cases of sexual violence too quickly, there is a risk that they will be dismissed without further action, which is quicker than conducting a lengthy investigation.”
Marquet also pointed out that new complaints will be filed during the five weeks, some possibly more urgent than the backlog. “This review also only concerns the 70,000 cases registered with the courts, but we do not know how many complaints are pending at police stations that the public prosecutor's offices are not yet aware of,” she added.
Lawyers have expressed mixed views. Jérome Navy, a Paris-based criminal lawyer, described the review as “ambitious but achievable,” but stressed it requires “additional human and financial resources.” He warned that prioritising minors could come at the expense of other cases. Criminal lawyer Gwendoline Tenier said she was “really worried” that the review would be rushed, leading to overlooked cases that deserve careful consideration.
France's justice system is notoriously slow and has among the fewest professional judges per capita in Europe, according to Council of Europe data. This context raises questions about whether the review can be thorough. For more on how France compares, see France's Judicial Crisis: How Europe Compares on Judge Numbers.
The murder of Lyhanna has also reignited debates about child protection and algorithmic accountability, as seen in French Families Sue TikTok for Algorithmic 'Abuse of Weakness'. Meanwhile, the case of Patrick Bruel, who was released under judicial supervision after a sexual violence indictment, highlights ongoing challenges in France's handling of sexual abuse allegations (Patrick Bruel Released Under Judicial Supervision After Sexual Violence Indictment).
As the 14 July deadline approaches, the feasibility of Darmanin's plan remains deeply contested. The outcome will test whether France's justice system can balance speed with the careful handling of cases involving vulnerable minors.
