10 found guilty of cyberbullying Brigitte Macron

A Paris court on Monday found ten people guilty of cyberbullying France's first lady, Brigitte Macron.

The defendants were accused of spreading false information about Macron's gender and sexuality, including a conspiracy theory that she was born a man. Other comments contained false information alleging pedophilia, which the court labeled "particularly degrading, insulting and malicious."

Those charged included eight men and two women aged between 41 and 65. Among the defendants are an elected official, a teacher and a computer scientist, as well as two well-known bloggers.

Some of them said in court that their comments were meant as a joke, adding they did not understand the reason behind them being prosecuted.