Bétharram Case: Investigation into Decades of Violence and Abuse

An Ongoing Judicial Investigation

Since early 2024, the Pau prosecutor’s office has been investigating alleged violence, sexual assaults, and rapes at the Catholic institution Notre-Dame de Bétharram. The incidents span several decades, from 1950 to the 2000s, involving supervisors and religious figures. To date, 112 complaint letters have been received, 72 formal complaints filed, and 95 victims interviewed.

The investigation, led by Pau prosecutor Rodolphe Jarry, has been assigned to the local gendarmerie’s Research Section. The accusations target 10 priests and 4 laypersons, with most victims being young boys aged 8 to 13 at the time of the events.

The Issue of Statute of Limitations

One of the main challenges in the case is determining whether the reported incidents are still prosecutable, given varying legal statutes of limitations over the years. According to a source close to the case, this legal assessment is expected to be complex and extensive. Once completed, the prosecutor’s office will decide either to dismiss the complaints or to open a judicial investigation.

Allegations Against François Bayrou

The case has recently taken a political turn. Mediapart claims that François Bayrou, Prime Minister and Mayor of Pau, was aware of the abuses committed at Bétharram but failed to act. He denies these allegations.

Three Socialist deputies from the Pyrénées-Atlantiques region—Colette Capdevielle, Peio Dufau, and Iñaki Echaniz—have written an open letter to François Bayrou, urging him to speak out on the matter. They recall that as early as 1996, a complaint had already reported acts of violence at the institution.

Mediapart also revealed the existence of a letter from a former student, sent in March 2024 to the Pau town hall, detailing sexual abuse suffered in the late 1950s. This letter reportedly went unanswered.

Testimonies and Mobilization

Former students and victims, including Alain Esquerre and Pascal Gélie, condemn the silence surrounding this case and demand official recognition and reparations.

The victims’ spokesperson hopes for a swift decision from the prosecutor’s office:
“Our goal is the opening of a judicial investigation. The prosecutor’s office has completed the hearings, and a decision should be made soon.”

In this context, judicial and political pressure is mounting, while victims continue to seek justice after decades of silence.