A French mayor who is in prison for rape continues to run his town. He has announced from his cell that he “calls aldermen daily and receives weekly visits from employees”.
He says he is politically active from behind bars full time. “I spend all my time running our church.”
It concerns Georges Tron, the 63-year-old former secretary of state and right-wing mayor of Draveil, a city of nearly 30,000 inhabitants south of Paris. He was convicted on appeal in February for rape and sexual assault.
‘Abuse of Authority and Power’
In her judgment, the judge weighed heavily on the fact that the victim was an employee of the town hall. The sexual violence happened “during working hours, in their workplace, with the mayor abusing his authority and power”.
Tron was sentenced to three years in prison and two more years on probation. He may also no longer stand for election for six years.
The mayor insists on being innocent. He has lodged an appeal in cassation. But the judge refused to release him in the meantime, given the seriousness of the facts. Tron has been in prison in Paris ever since.
‘I just stay’
A few weeks after his conviction, the city council reunited for the first time. There was one letter from the mayor (.pdf) read, written in his cell. “I have daily contact with my fellow board members and I will continue to exercise my function as mayor,” he said.
On the website of the municipality of Draveil, Tron, smiling in the photo, still stands listed as mayor. At the beginning of this month, a municipal newsletter was published for the residents. In it, Tron explains in detail what measures he is taking and will take for the city, working from prison.
That is why a demonstration took place last night. Angry citizens have gathered in an action committee. They took to the streets dressed as chickens. They pretended to attack a man with their beaks, dressed as a ‘cock’ and with a mask of Georges Tron on his face.
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