2023-08-09 14:40:08
Julie Van Espen was murdered in Antwerp in 2019. In an open letter, her parents criticize the Superior Council of Justice (CSJ).
In 2019, Julie Van Espen was murdered in Antwerp by Steven Bakelmans. The man had already been sentenced twice for rape. Julie Van Espen’s parents have asked that the period during which a complaint can be filed be extended. They also pleaded for the heads of corps in the prosecutor’s offices and the courts to be more numerous. However, the Superior Council of Justice did not show itself in favor of the extension proposal.
The girl’s parents wrote an open letter criticizing the justice system. ” The only body that does not want to deviate from the six-month deadline is once more the CSJ. For us, however, there is sufficient consensus to extend it. »
This letter follows in particular two meetings of the Justice Committee organized on 4 and 5 July. ” During these two days of hearings, it was said on several occasions that the CSJ had been created at the time to restore public confidence in justice following the Dutroux affair, unfortunately at no time have we we saw that. »
A second open letter
Last April, a first letter from them had already been written in which they asked for an improvement in the disciplinary procedure. They add : ” Professional liability is obviously a very difficult subject within the judicial system. The closure of a chamber of the Antwerp Court of Appeal had suspended the processing of several large files, including that of Steve Bakelmans. The man was free at the time, although he was awaiting an appeal decision in a rape case. Regarding this lack of immediate arrest, ” no one was held responsible “say the parents of Julie Van Espen.
In their letter, they add: Other than that, we mostly heard what not everyone can do. For example, it was reiterated (which we already knew) that the CSJ does not have disciplinary jurisdiction, but can lodge a complaint with the competent disciplinary authority. Our request to see the CSJ play a more active role in handling complaints is apparently a sensitive issue. »
They want the Commission take initiatives on subjects on which there is no consensus – for example, whether or not to maintain in camera proceedings for sex cases – or on subjects for which we are not yet there – by example, an operational disciplinary law. »
Read also: Murder of Julie Van Espen: questions following the outrage
Political reaction
The recipient of this letter is the chair of the chamber’s Justice Committee, Kristien Van Vaerenbergh (N-VA). The latter reacted to the parents’ letter in The last news
: « I appreciate the contribution of the Van Espen family. The auditions don’t mean the end of the journey for me either. (…) Political announcements do not help the victims and it is time for the Justice Committee, and therefore also the De Croo government, to get rid of the knots on sore spots such as our disciplinary law for magistrates. We are in 2023. It must and can be done better. Without progress, it is difficult for us to restore citizens’ trust in justice. »
Find more news on www.soirmag.be and on Facebook.
1691636318
#Julie #Van #Espens #parents #slam #justice #system #open #letter
