All the defendants in the trial of the Brussels attacks of March 22, 2016 – with the exception of Osama Atar, presumed dead – were present Monday morning during the preliminary hearing, announced at the start of the hearing the president of the Assize Court Laurence Massart. This concerns in particular Salah Abdeslam and Mohamed Abrini, whose lawyers had nevertheless announced that they would only be represented.
Several lawyers therefore expressed their astonishment to the president at having seen their client taken out of the prison where he was. This was particularly the case of Me Delphine Paci, Salah Abdeslam’s lawyer, who challenged Laurence Massart: “My client has expressed the wish to be represented by this hearing as permitted by law. But it was still extracted“, she wondered.
“The arrest order can still be executed“, replied the president.
Several defendants decide to return to their cells
Several lawyers warned the president that they were going to consult their client to see if they wanted to stay in their cell for the rest of this preliminary hearing.
Mohamed Abrini, Osama Krayem, Sofien Ayari, Smaïl Farisi and Ali El Haddad Asufi finally decided to return “in cell”, most denouncing the conditions in which they appear, behind glass boxes.
“We are like dogs here“Thundered Tunisian Sofien Ayari, an accomplice in Abdeslam’s escape, banging his fist on the wall of his box.
Salah Abdeslam refuses to appear “out of solidarity”
Initially, Salah Abdeslam had made the opposite choice, saying to the president “I want to attend the hearing“before recanting.”I have decided to refuse to appear in solidarity with the co-accused“, he explained a few minutes later, denouncing the presence of the glass boxes. “It’s unfair when we were promised a fair trial.”
Bilal El Makhoukhi, Hervé Bayingana Muhirwa and Ibrahim Farisi opted to attend the hearing.
The defense castigates the glass boxes of the accused
Defense attorneys blasted the defendants’ glass boxes. For them, these boxes violate the presumption of innocence, because they give the impression that the accused are guilty. The police services are of the opinion that these boxes are necessary to ensure optimal security. “That we shave these totally grotesque boxes“, demanded lawyer Sébastien Courtoy, counsel for Smail Farisi, on Monday.
“A lawyer and a client are a pair, we must be able to perceive his emotions, be able to be in contact with him“, explained Me Vincent Lurquin, lawyer for the accused Hervé Bayingana Muhirwa. “If each time, you have to telephone your client -since that is what we are being offered-, it is not possible to work.“
