**POITIERS, France –** The tragic death of Inès Mecellem in Poitiers has ignited widespread anger and a national debate over the effectiveness of the French justice system in protecting victims of domestic violence. The 25-year-old was found stabbed to death on September 8, just two days after her former partner, the prime suspect, was briefly apprehended by police but released without charges. The suspect, an Afghan refugee born in 1989, remains at large, wanted for murder.
Inès’s family and advocates are asking whether her death could have been prevented, pointing to numerous attempts by the young woman to alert authorities to the danger she faced. “For me, there are now two murderers: the one who is on the run, but also the police and judicial system, with all its failings. Her death could have been completely avoided,” Mehdi Mecellem, Inès’s brother, told AFP.
Inès had a history of reporting her ex-partner’s violent behaviour. Court documents, excerpts of which were published by Le Monde, reveal she filed her first complaint on July 10, detailing recurrent strangulations and rapes. She returned to the police station on July 17, and again on August 13, 19, and 28, reporting harassment and death threats. On July 23, she was issued an emergency alert phone, a device designed to quickly notify law enforcement in urgent situations.
It was this device that Inès used on September 6, sensing she was being tracked while walking in Poitiers city centre. Police officers responded and apprehended her ex-partner. However, according to Poitiers Public Prosecutor Rachel Bray, he was subsequently released without being taken into custody. The reasons for this decision have not been disclosed.
Family lawyer Pauline Rongier condemned what she called “a major failure of police services and judicial authorities,” arguing that the emergency alert phone proved to be “insufficient protection.” Her sentiments were echoed by feminist collectives who joined a memorial march in Poitiers, which drew an estimated thousand people. “What are all these protection tools put in place by the state for if victims continue to live in terror and die?” one activist questioned.
“My sister had the courage to repeatedly walk through the police station door. She did everything she could to warn about the danger she was in,” said Yacine, another of Inès’s brothers. “And the finding is that the police and justice betrayed her.”
The public prosecutor’s office has launched an investigation, engaging the National Police General Inspectorate (IGPN). A source close to the investigation suggested that “something was not properly identified, either the danger was underestimated, or the transmission of information to the department following the procedure was not correctly done.” Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin has also announced an investigation by the General Inspectorate of Justice (IGJ) to shed “full light on this horrible affair.”
The tragedy has reignited scrutiny of France’s efforts to combat domestic violence. In 2017, President Emmanuel Macron declared the protection of women a national priority, leading to a comprehensive action plan in 2019. However, advocacy groups argue that while budgets have increased, they remain severely inadequate. The Fondation des femmes estimated needs between 2.6 and 5.4 billion euros in 2023, compared to less than 200 million euros spent that year. A Senate report earlier this July also criticised the “derisory” amounts allocated to the cause.
Mine Günbay, director of the Fédération nationale solidarité femmes, emphasized the critical need for enhanced training for police and magistrates, as well as more shelter places for victims seeking to escape their homes. “We cannot tell women, ‘we believe you,’ ‘speak out,’ making this a major national cause, and then systematically, year after year, find ourselves with the same patterns of femicides,” she stated.
In 2023, 96 women were victims of domestic femicide in France, a 19% decrease from 2022, according to the Interior Ministry. However, around 40% of these victims had previously filed complaints against their attackers, highlighting persistent gaps in protection and prevention.
