HIBAPRESS – Sports Section
Moroccan international Ashraf Hakimi, defender for Paris Saint-Germain, has been referred to trial on rape charges, according to his lawyer, as announced to the Agence France-Presse on Tuesday.
The case dates back to February 2023, when a young woman filed a complaint accusing the player of raping her inside his home after they met through the "Instagram" application. The prosecution in Nanterre had requested on August 1st to refer the case to the Regional Criminal Court in Hauts-de-Seine, before the investigating judge decided to proceed with the trial procedures. In his first comment after the decision, Hakimi (27 years old) wrote on his "X" platform account: "Today, a mere accusation of rape is enough to justify a trial, even though I oppose this accusation and everything proves that it is false. This is unfair, both to the innocent and to the genuine victims. I am calmly awaiting this trial, which will allow the truth to be revealed publicly." The player continues to categorically deny all the charges against him, confirming in previous statements that the case is a "lie," and that he did not commit what is attributed to him. His lawyer, Fanny Colin, stated that the decision to try was based – according to her – on the complainant's statements only, noting that she rejected some investigation procedures, including medical examinations, DNA analysis, and handing over her phone. She also spoke of messages she considered indications of an "attempt at extortion," which the defense team of the civil party denies. In contrast, the complainant's lawyer, Rachel-Flore Pardo, stressed that the investigation collected sufficient elements to prove the crime, confirming that "there is nothing in the file to prove any attempt at extortion," and described this approach as a "usual defense strategy in cases of sexual violence." The trial is expected to be a pivotal stage in this case, which has been widely followed by French and international media, pending what the court sessions will reveal in terms of data and final decisions.
