Baza told the AFP news agency that she has filed a complaint with the Spanish police over an assault that allegedly occurred on October 12, 1995. The journalist was in Paris for an interview with Depardieu for the magazine ‘Cinemanía’. The abuse is said to have happened on the site of the former production company Roissy Films. Baza was 23 years old at the time, the actor 46.
The journalist spoke of “an intrusion without any consent” and said she felt “paralyzed” during the events. Baza himself used the word “sexual assault”, but according to the criminal code in Spain this also includes rape. When asked whether it was indeed a rape, Baza responded affirmatively: “That is how the police described it.”
Depardieu has been under investigation since 2020, following charges of rape against actress Charlotte Arnould. The actor denies the accusations. A documentary broadcast earlier this month on ‘France 2’ caused a new shock wave. It showed the French film star making a series of misogynistic and insulting comments about women. At the same time, Depardieu faced a second charge of sexual assault, filed by actress Hélène Darras. This relates to events on a film set in 2007. Depardieu also denies these accusations.
Little chance of success
This is far from the first time that Depardieu has been accused of sexual violence. Baza told AFP that she had “completely” forgotten about the assault until she read the allegations made by thirteen other women in an investigation by the news site Mediapart, published in April. The memories came back immediately, it was said. Those memories were confirmed by personal notes she allegedly took at the time.
Legally speaking, this complaint has little chance of success, as the facts are time-barred in France. However, the journalist explains that she filed the complaint in the hope that it can “help other people” to do the same.
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2023-12-19 20:56:22
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