Lawyer Walter van Steenbrugge submits a request for wreckage against judge who previously released Herman Brusselmans about controversial column (Ghent)
Herman Brusselmans earlier in the Ghent court. – © FVV
The legal proceedings regarding the controversial column of Herman Brusselmans continue to drag on. In a case of a new direct summons on Tuesday, a request for revenue was submitted. « We have no chance of a fair trial. »
On the Herman Brusselmans column in question on 6 August, a stream of reactions came in Humo. Various Jewish organizations were a complaint, the East Flemish public prosecutor started an investigation and the writer was also brought to the correctional court through the proceedings of a direct summons.
In March he was acquitted in first case for breaches of anti-racism and negationism legislation. According to the judge there was freedom of expression and the columns show « not that he wanted to encourage hatred or violence against the Jewish community or denied the Holocaust »
Also view. Herman Brusselmans acquitted for negationism after controversial column: « Intimidation can stop »
The second direct summons would be treated normally on Tuesday. Herman Brusselmans was not present at the court, in contrast to the first case. « My client has done all his version at the seat, » said his lawyer Mounir Souidi. Walter van Steenbrugge, the lawyer of the three people who insisted this procedure, submitted a request for wrecking at the hearing. The case was then postponed indefinitely by the court.
Judicial investigation
« We have no chance of a fair trial, so we can’t do otherwise, » the lawyer indicated. « At the hearing of the handling of the other direct summons, we asked to handle the cases together. Now the same court has already pronounced a judgment and we cannot be heard without prejudice. I cannot be explained to my clients, so we believe that the case must be dealt with in a different composition. »
Parallel in addition to this procedure, a judicial investigation on breaches of the anti-racism and negationism law was also ongoing. This has since been completed, so that the council chamber has to decide whether Bruselmans should answer for the court. The Public Prosecution Service would ask the country prosecution after it had already demanded the acquittal at the first direct summons.
Walter van Steenbrugge on Tuesday in the Ghent court. In addition to him lawyer Mounir Souidi who assists Brusselmans. – © FVV
