The trial of the attacks in Belgium opened on December 5 in Belgium. Among the accused, several men already convicted for the Paris attacks in 2013 such as Salah Abdeslam and Mohammed Abrini. But since the beginning of the hearings, the difficulties are linked.
First there was the debate on the individual boxes of the accused. Redeveloping them as a common space delayed the start of the trial. It is now the systematic strip searches imposed on detainees when they are transferred from prison to court that are controversial. This is enough to worry the civil parties, who want the trial to move forward on the merits.
” I think these are extremely damaging controversies, which we should have simply avoided. I hope they will stop, because it is time that we talk about the merits of the fileannoys Me Guillaume Lys, lawyer for the association of victims V-Europe. And above all, to hear these defendants complaining about being searched when we see what we, our victim clients have experienced, there is no comparison in the horror that is possible. »
About 35 million euros have yet been invested in the organization of the trial, the most expensive in the history of Belgium. In particular, it was necessary to develop the former NATO premises on the outskirts of Brussels, chosen to accommodate the Assize Court in place of the courthouse. A decision that is still not unanimous.
” We had already had a first very recent example, it was the trial of the attack on the Jewish Museum which had taken place perfectly at the Brussels courthouse, recalls Me Guillaume Lys. There was a political choice to relocate everything, to review certain procedures (…) We should have built on what we knew, on what worked and not try something new. »
► To read also: Trial of the Brussels attacks: the incidents of the session accumulate on the fourth day of hearing
” We want to tell them to put themselves in our place too »
Sabine Borgignons nevertheless decided to attend the hearings. She is one of the victims of the two almost simultaneous attacks, at Zaventem airport and in the Maelbeek metro station, which left 32 dead and more than 300 injured. Plunged into a coma for more than a month after the explosion in the metro in Maelbeek, today she has a message for the accused: ” We want to tell them to put themselves in our place too. We are asked to do it for them, but they should do it too. »
For its part, the defense continues to denounce violations of the rights of the accused and organizational problems. The trial of November 13, 2015 attacks in Paris is held up as an example. So, is Belgian justice losing face? ” Comparison is not right. The French judicial system is not at all comparable to the Belgian systemsays Luc Hennard, spokesperson for the trial. Our Belgian democratic society demonstrates that beyond the difficulties, you have a trial that is held and that addresses the merits. »
The hearings of the investigators have indeed already been able to begin. They should continue until the end of January.
► To read also: Brussels attacks: the biggest trial in Belgian history opens this Wednesday