French justice system on trial as nation rages at failure to prevent schoolgirl’s murder
Key takeaways
- Issued on: 08/06/2026 - 20:00Modified: 08/06/2026 - 20:01
- By: Benjamin DODMAN The parents of murdered 11-year-old schoolgirl Lyhanna take part in a silent march in her hometown of Fleurance, in southwest France, on June 7, 2026.
- Lyhanna went missing after school on May 29 in her hometown of Fleurance, northwest of Toulouse.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
French Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin has ordered public prosecutors to review 70,000 allegations of violence against minors, by July 14, amid fury at the death of an 11-year-old schoolgirl that has exposed cracks in the country’s judicial system.
Issued on: 08/06/2026 - 20:00Modified: 08/06/2026 - 20:01
By: Benjamin DODMAN The parents of murdered 11-year-old schoolgirl Lyhanna take part in a silent march in her hometown of Fleurance, in southwest France, on June 7, 2026. © Lionel Bonaventure, AFP The death of an 11-year-old schoolgirl in southwest France has triggered soul-searching and recrimination in a country already roiled by a string of child abuse scandals.