French music magazine Les Inrockuptibles has been criticised as “disgusting” for putting Bertrand Cantat, the singer convicted of murdering his girlfriend, on its front cover.

Cantat was found guilty of murdering actor Marie Trintignant in 2003 and served four years of an eight-year jail sentence. The court was told he hit Trintignant repeatedly in the head and waited for several hours before calling emergency services. She died in hospital.

Cantat en son nom: demain dans les Inrocks https://t.co/HbDhuCquJL pic.twitter.com/aU0xyAuzUR — les inrocks (@lesinrocks) October 10, 2017

Cantat was released on parole in 2007 and is currently promoting a new album.

The decision by Inrockuptibles to make Cantat its cover star drew criticism online, with Twitter users quick to condemn the move.

So nice of Les Inrocks to have wife beater and murderer Bertrand Cantat on their cover as if he's redeemed somehow. https://t.co/DFZm7rZ3Xp — Romain Barrilliot (@skacky) October 11, 2017

Appalled and sickened to see the murderer Bertrand Cantat on the cover of @lesinrocks to promote his new album. Beyond disgusting. — Caspar Salmon (@CasparSalmon) October 11, 2017

France’s Elle magazine responded with an editorial titled “Au nom de Marie” (In the name of Marie).

"Au nom de Marie" : notre édito pour toutes les femmes victimes de la violence des hommes https://t.co/viVwOvdrJC pic.twitter.com/mx4cgChjSX — ELLE (@ELLEfrance) October 17, 2017

In the editorial, the magazine said, “Marie Trintignant died under the blows of Bertrand Cantat. Today she is a symbol … her face has become that of all the female victims of the violence of men. The face of the 123 women killed by their spouse last year.”

The editorial went on to commend women who have spoken out against their attackers, saying Trintignant represented “the women harassed or assaulted – 216,000 complaints filed in 2016”, as well as those who had come out against disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein.

Les Inrockuptibles responded to criticism in a letter to its readers on Tuesday. The magazine acknowledged the timing of the cover, which was released as the Weinstein case was exploding, was inopportune, adding: “The suffering that this cover may have caused deeply touched us.”

It went on: “To put him on the cover was questionable. To those who felt wounded, we express our sincere regrets.”

The issue of sexual violence and harassment has been making headlines in France following the Weinstein scandal.

On Sunday, French president Emmanuel Macron said he would be stripping Weinstein of the prestigious Légion D’Honneur award.

On Monday, France’s gender equality minister Marlène Schiappa announced plans for new laws aimed at cracking down on sexual violence and harassment. The proposed laws include on-the-spot fines for catcalling and lecherous behaviour in public.

On Twitter, French speakers have been sharing their experiences of sexual harassment and violence under the hashtag #balancetonporc, meaning “expose your pig”. The first lady, Brigitte Macron, praised women for “breaking the silence”.