French author calls Achraf Hakimi case an example of judicial ‘harassment’ in open letter

French author France Colle has publicly defended Moroccan football star Achraf Hakimi, accusing France’s justice system of unfairly targeting him while failing to prioritize more urgent criminal cases involving children.

In an open letter dated June 22 and addressed to French Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin, Colle described the handling of Hakimi’s case as an example of judicial “harassment” and questioned why prosecutors devoted significant resources to the footballer’s file while thousands of complaints involving minors remain pending.

The letter follows a June 19 decision by the Versailles Court of Appeal to uphold Hakimi’s referral to a criminal court over a rape allegation dating back to 2023. Hakimi has consistently denied the accusation.

Colle linked her criticism to the recent controversy surrounding the death of a young girl named Lyhanna, a case that has sparked scrutiny of how French authorities handle complaints involving minors.

Colle said that French courts face a backlog of cases affecting children and questioned why Hakimi’s file was processed with what she called unusual speed.

“While dangerous pedophiles remain free and thousands of complaints involving minors are not being handled, the justice system has found the time to focus on Hakimi,” she wrote.

The author also criticized French media coverage of the case, saying that headlines describing Hakimi as an accused rapist ignored the principle of presumption of innocence.

Colle said that the Moroccan international has no criminal record and remains legally innocent unless proven guilty.

Colle mentioneded several arguments given by Hakimi’s supporters since the investigation began. She claimed the complainant refused medical examinations, DNA testing, and access to her mobile phone. She also referred to psychological assessments and cited messages allegedly exchanged between the complainant and a friend, including one in which she purportedly discussed plans to “strip him” of his money.

Those claims have been widely debated since details from the investigation emerged in French media, but they have not prevented prosecutors from pursuing the case.

The letter also framed the affair as extending beyond an individual legal dispute. Colle suggested that the timing of the June 19 court announcement, the same day Morocco was scheduled to play Scotland at the 2026 World Cup, was intended to damage both Hakimi and Morocco’s image.

Colle described Hakimi as the victim of a “conspiracy” and called on Darmanin to explain why the justice system was pursuing the footballer while, in her view, failing to adequately address cases involving children.