Belgium: Crisis in Belgian Justice
01 January 1997
The Dutroux affair, in which a paedophile ring run by Marc Dutroux resulted in the deaths of at least four young girls, has thrown the Belgian justice system into its worst post-war crisis. The row centres on allegations that police sources knew of Dutroux's involvement with child pornography and other crimes yet conspired in a cover-up. More than 12 police officers have been questioned in an investigation that has raised questions about internal rivalries between the various police services and potential corruption within the justice system.
The case came to public attention in August, when four bodies were found in Dutroux's house near Charleroi, southern Belgium. It became clear that Dutroux had already been convicted for a series of child rapes and that he had been given an early release for no discernable reason. He had also had dealings with police relating to car theft and fraud, but no action was taken against him. Dutroux had also been arrested in 1995 after kidnapping three under-age girls and, once again, no action had been taken against him.
The public outcry that followed these revelations led to further embarrassment for the Belgian authorities. It emerged that sections of the Belgian police had been following Dutroux for years, without informing each other. Allegations have also been made that some police officers may have covered up Dutroux's involvement in child pornography for the sake of information Dutroux was feeding them about organised crime.
Public anger at apparent police incompetence combined with hints of corruption led to one of the biggest protests ever held in Belgium. Over 250,000 people took to the streets in defence of the investigating magistrate, who had been removed from the case after he had dinner with some of the victims' families. Parliamentary enquiries centred on divisions within the Belgian police services, with the rivalry between the Judicial police and the Gendarmerie being blamed for many of the mistakes that were made.
However Prime Minister Jean-Luc Dehaene focused attention away from the government by launching a campaign on "victims rights", centring the blame on a "liberal" judicial establishment and away from police and government failures. The far-right Vlaams Blok has also used the Dutroux Affair to target lesbians and gay men as part of a "family values" campaign.