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world news Diasabra 26 Juni 2021

French woman convicted of killing 'monster' abuser, set free

(AP) — A French mother lette — 25 years Bacot’s se-
of four was sentenced to nior — had over her. “He was beating me, slaps
one year in prison Friday then punches, he throttled
for killing her husband “Yes, I killed him but if I me. He was beating and then
after decades of sexual, had not done it, my children things were going better,” she
physical and psychologi- would have,” Bacot said. said, adding he also threat-
cal abuse starting when ened her with a handgun.
she was an adolescent. Polette arrived in Bacot’s life
The verdict allows her to in 1992 as her mother’s com- In 2002, he forced her into
walk free, as she has al- panion. A few months later, prostitution, still controlling
ready served time in pre- she said, the sexual abuse all of her actions.
ventive detention. started. She was 12 when he
began raping her, Bacot said. In March 2016, following a
The case had drawn broad at- violent prostitution-related
tention and support for the Polette’s sisters reached out situation, she shot Polette
defendant amid a national to a social worker and he was with the gun. Her children
reckoning with long-held ta- arrested in 1995 and convict- helped her bury the body, an
boos around domestic abuse. ed of sexual assaults, spend- act for which they were given and sisters described him as a another French woman, Jac-
ing two years in prison. suspended prison sentences. “monster.” queline Sauvage, who was
Valerie Bacot, 40, has admit- convicted of shooting and
ted to shooting Daniel Po- Afterward, Polette returned Bacot was arrested by police “The person I thank the most killing her allegedly violent
lette dead in 2016. Polette to the family home and start- the following year and im- in the world is Valerie, be- husband. Sauvage was grant-
was her stepfather, who later ed abusing Bacot again. prisoned, before being re- cause she killed him. She did ed a presidential pardon in
married her and forced her leased under judicial supervi- what I should have done for a 2016, allowing her to get out
into prostitution. “When he came back, he said sion in 2018 pending trial. long time,” said Polette’s sis- of prison.
he would leave me alone. My ter, 59. She said he raped her
A jury in Chalon-sur-Saone, mother had forgiven him. The psychologist who exam- when she was 12. Sauvage had been sentenced
central France, found Bacot But it started again. Follow- ined her said the protection to 10 years in prison for fa-
guilty of the murder. She ing a rape I got pregnant,” of her children was key in Dr. Denis Prieur, a psychia- tally shooting her husband
was sentenced to one year in Bacot said. She was 17 at the Bacot’s reaction. In 2016, she trist, said that at the time of three times in the back with a
prison and a three-year sus- time. feared Polette would assault the domestic abuse, Bacot no hunting rifle in 2012. During
pended sentence. her 14-year old daughter and longer had free will. “She was the trial, she said her husband
Her mother threw her out of force her into prostitution. not able to turn to the law had beaten her for 47 years.
The prosecutor had earlier the house and she started liv- (for assistance) because her The couple’s adult daughters
requested that Bacot should ing with Polette, whom she A petition in favor of Bacot husband was always there.” also said he had abused them.
not be sent to prison, saying described as having total con- has gathered over 710,000
he didn’t consider her a dan- trol over her life. signatures. Now, “she has become some- The Associated Press doesn’t
ger to society. body” and is not “a thing” typically name victims of
He did not allow her to work Family members came to the anymore, he said. extremely severe abuse, but
The trial showed the degree or use contraception. She had court to say they don’t regret Bacot — like Sauvage — has
of control and influence Po- three other children. Polette’s death. His brother Bacot’s case echoes that of told her story publicly.

EU greenlights major funding plan for refugees in Turkey

(AP) — European Union one of the EU’s biggest-ever thousands each. But Turkey marked for migration man- But Turkey’s Foreign Minis-
leaders greenlighted plans political crises. is also a source of great con- agement and border controls. try said in a statement Friday
on Friday to give Turkey cern for the EU, particularly The earlier funds were spent that “reducing cooperation
another 3 billion euros To persuade Turkey to stop disputed energy exploration directly on shelter and educa- on migration to a financial
($3.6 billion) over the next people leaving its territory, work in the east Mediter- tion projects for Syrian refu- dimension is a big delusion.”
few years to provide fresh the 27-nation bloc offered ranean that had heightened gees in Turkey. None of that It called for greater coopera-
assistance to Syrian refu- the country 6 billion euros tensions with EU member money went directly to the tion between Turkey and the
gees on its territory and for Syrian refugees and the states Greece and Cyprus. Turkish government. EU to deal with the issue.
to help the country boost prospect of fast-track EU
border controls. membership talks and visa- In a working paper prepared The precise border area was The ministry called for a re-
free travel in Europe for its for the summit, seen by The not specified, but it’s likely view of the Turkey-EU mi-
“It’s about additional funds citizens. Arrivals quickly Associated Press, the com- to refer to Turkey’s frontiers gration deal reached in 2016
of 3 billion euros, then after- dropped to a relative trickle, mission said the support “has with Syria and Iraq. in a manner that “responds
wards also funds for Leba- and the EU is keen to update been highly effective and ef- to the needs of the day and
non and Jordan,” German the arrangement. ficient.” It proposed that “a Merkel said the EU will con- common interests.” It said
Chancellor Angela Merkel further 3 billion euros from tinue to work on improving that other European deci-
told reporters. She said the Membership talks are at a the EU budget shall be dedi- a customs arrangement it has sions about Turkey were far
plan, drawn up by the EU’s standstill, and Turkey has still cated until 2024 to support with Turkey providing favor- from “containing expected
executive branch, “will soon not fulfilled several criteria actions in Turkey.” able tariffs on certain goods. and necessary steps.”
be formally endorsed.” to secure visa-free travel, but “Of course, we expect fur-
the European Commission It said that “in program- ther constructive behavior The ministry specifically
Turkey reacted coolly to the has handed over most of the ming the actions under this from Turkey. We have seen an complained that no decision
plan, saying it’s a way for Eu- funds and will pay the rest package, will gradually move improvement of the situation was taken to implement a
ropeans “to ensure the EU’s as contracts are completed. from humanitarian priorities in the Mediterranean Sea,” “positive agenda” in relations
own peace and security.” Separately, it is providing a to socio-economic support she said. between the bloc and Tur-
further half a billion euros and development. This will key, including agreement on
Well over 1 million mi- for refugees there this year. include funding for migra- An additional 2.2 billion eu- the customs union update.
grants entered the EU in tion management and border ros would be spent to help It insisted that Turkey has
2015, many of them fleeing Turkey is estimated to now control, notably at Turkey’s refugees and displaced people fulfilled its “responsibilities
conflict in Syria and Iraq. host around 3.7 million refu- eastern border.” in Jordan, Lebanon and Syria, in terms of reducing tension
The arrivals through Turkey gees from the conflict in Syr- according to the commission and initiating a dialogue”
overwhelmed facilities in the ia. Lebanon and Jordan are It’s the first time that such plan. with Greece.
Greek islands, and sparked also sheltering hundreds of EU funding has been ear-