The two-time Cesar Awards winner Gerard Depardieu strongly denies rape and sexual assault charges filed against him, Reuters cited his lawyer Herve Temime as saying.
"Mr Depardieu is and remains presumed innocent. He strongly contests the accusations against him. The investigation must continue discreetly and with respect for Mr Depardieu’s presumption of innocence," the statement read.
The lawyer expressed regret regarding the disclosure of information about the case that had remained secret in accordance with French law since December 2020, when the actor was indicted.
In 2018, the Paris public prosecutor’s office launched a preliminary investigation against the actor for allegedly raping a young actress. The case was initially dropped in 2019 because of lack of sufficient evidence, but was reopened last summer, according to the media.
