Judges’ union criticizes interim results of review of abuse allegations cases

Paris – July 16, 2026: At first glance, this interim result looks like a large-scale cleanup operation: according to Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin, the French judiciary has re-examined nearly 85,000 reports and proceedings involving sexual offenses against minors. Of these, 970 case files were classified as priority cases. However, judges’ groups strongly rejected the political presentation of this arduous effort on Thursday.

Aurélien Martini, deputy secretary-general of the Union syndicale des magistrats, said on France Inter radio that the operation had not solved the underlying problem. He warned of an impression the public might form: re-examining case files does not mean investigations have been completed, cases have been judicially dealt with, or the safety of affected children can be ensured.

Martini said the figures cited by Darmanin were only possible because other work had been temporarily set aside. This is a serious accusation, directly concerning the day-to-day functioning of prosecutors’ offices and courts. In addition to sexual violence cases, they must also handle violent crime, family proceedings and ongoing investigations. The union therefore calls for a public explanation of the consequences of this special operation.

The trigger for this nationwide review was the case of 11-year-old Lyhanna. After possible failures came to light, prosecutors general across the country were tasked by the minister with re-examining all complaints and reports involving children. The figures now published show the scale of the task: this is not merely a small number of shelved cases, but tens of thousands of files from different regions and at different procedural stages.

The 970 cases classified as priorities do not automatically mean that suspicions have been confirmed or that those accused have been identified. Based on the information published so far, these cases instead indicate that their follow-up appears particularly urgent. For suspected victims who are currently or were formerly minors, time can be decisive: whether for taking protective measures, preserving evidence, or preventing those concerned from bearing an excessive burden due to lengthy proceedings.

The criticism by the Union syndicale des magistrats thus touches on the core of the debate. Effectiveness is determined not only by the number of files reviewed, but by what happens afterward: whether there are enough investigators, whether prosecutors’ offices are adequately staffed, and whether families receive clear and understandable information. In recent months, the judicial administration has already issued special guidance on handling sexual violence cases against minors.

Darmanin had presented the review as a response to serious public concern about the way such proceedings are handled. Martini now demands that the public not be reassured by an interim result. For those affected and their relatives, what ultimately matters is not whether a file has been reopened, but whether every specific lead is carefully examined and whether possible criminal proceedings can move forward without unnecessary delay.