The appeal lodged in summary proceedings by certain defendants detained to contest their transfer conditions is “an objective fact with which the court is confronted”, explained Laurence Massart.
“Everyone will be heard. The victims have their place in this assize trial,” she wanted to reassure the lawyers for the civil party. “All the defendants tell us that they want to explain themselves and talk to the jury. My wish is that they actually explain themselves and that the jurors hear them. You can challenge my decision, but we are not going to do that. spend the day. The president is in charge of the schedule,” she said firmly.
The president thus closed the discussion on the subject of the modification of the schedule of the hearings, refusing to give the floor to Me Guillaume Lys, one of the counsels of the association of victims V-Europe, following having first of all allowed another counsel for the civil party, Me Nicolas Estienne, to speak.
“Some civil parties have already taken their plane tickets, Madam President – some are from the United States – to attend the trial according to the schedule that has been communicated to us”, reacted Me Estienne, unhappy with this change. of last minute. “We take into account the transfer of detainees, but do we take into account the transfer of victims, seriously injured, from their wheelchairs to their cars, every day to come to trial? I am appalled to see that some of the defendants are doing what I call blackmail, which hurts the victims a lot,” he said.
On Tuesday, Laurence Massart announced that she will begin Wednesday by hearing the investigating judges, the head of the investigation and the investigators, and not by questioning the accused as initially planned. She explained that she made this decision given the fact that, on Monday, several defendants said they would not answer any questions until the issue of their transfer was resolved.
Six of the seven detained defendants have brought an action before the Brussels Civil Court in summary proceedings, which will be debated on Friday, regarding their conditions of transfer from prison to the courthouse, which they consider inhuman and degrading.
