Today, 24 September 2003, the Belgian Cour de Cassation
(Belgium's Supreme Court) ordered the cessation of all cases
filed concerning the massacre perpetrated in September 1982 in
the Sabra and Shatila refugee camps in Beirut.
Although the same court had previously confirmed, with its
decision of 12 February 2003, the legality of pursuing this case
in Belgium, and despite the fact that the Brussels Appeals Court
followed up with its 10 May 2003 decision to pursue justice in
this case, today's decision came as the result of a recent
legislative modification to Belgium's Universal Jurisdiction law.
The new modification has effectively suppressed Belgium's universal
jurisdiction law under considerable pressure from the
government of the United States of America.
For the Palestinian and Lebanese survivors of Sabra and Shatila,
who have struggled for 21 years against impunity for this crime
against humanity, this Belgian reversal is a cruel deception.
Although the Belgian State had clearly offered up its courts for
the prosecution of crimes against international humanitarian law
in order to combat impunity, it has not respected its
commitments, particularly to the victims of these crimes. With
their lawyers, the survivors will examine possibilities for
recourse at the national and international levels to oppose
today's decision, just as they will also study the outcome of
other judicial initiatives.
On behalf of our clients, we would like to thank all those who
have supported our fight for justice. The case in Belgium
prompted several people to come forward as witnesses. Also,
documents that were previously unknown were delivered and
revealed. Thus, from a historical perspective alone, these are
some of the important achievements of this case.
Today's decision by Belgium's Cour de Cassation does not put an
end to the victims' legal fight. The persistent problem of the
impunity of those guilty of what the United Nations defined as
genocide is more than ever on the agenda of the international
community.
Chibli Mallat, Michael Verhaeghe, Luc Walleyn
Bruxelles-Beyrouth
24 September 2003
For more information, see http://indictsharon.net
(Belgium's Supreme Court) ordered the cessation of all cases
filed concerning the massacre perpetrated in September 1982 in
the Sabra and Shatila refugee camps in Beirut.
Although the same court had previously confirmed, with its
decision of 12 February 2003, the legality of pursuing this case
in Belgium, and despite the fact that the Brussels Appeals Court
followed up with its 10 May 2003 decision to pursue justice in
this case, today's decision came as the result of a recent
legislative modification to Belgium's Universal Jurisdiction law.
The new modification has effectively suppressed Belgium's universal
jurisdiction law under considerable pressure from the
government of the United States of America.
For the Palestinian and Lebanese survivors of Sabra and Shatila,
who have struggled for 21 years against impunity for this crime
against humanity, this Belgian reversal is a cruel deception.
Although the Belgian State had clearly offered up its courts for
the prosecution of crimes against international humanitarian law
in order to combat impunity, it has not respected its
commitments, particularly to the victims of these crimes. With
their lawyers, the survivors will examine possibilities for
recourse at the national and international levels to oppose
today's decision, just as they will also study the outcome of
other judicial initiatives.
On behalf of our clients, we would like to thank all those who
have supported our fight for justice. The case in Belgium
prompted several people to come forward as witnesses. Also,
documents that were previously unknown were delivered and
revealed. Thus, from a historical perspective alone, these are
some of the important achievements of this case.
Today's decision by Belgium's Cour de Cassation does not put an
end to the victims' legal fight. The persistent problem of the
impunity of those guilty of what the United Nations defined as
genocide is more than ever on the agenda of the international
community.
Chibli Mallat, Michael Verhaeghe, Luc Walleyn
Bruxelles-Beyrouth
24 September 2003
For more information, see http://indictsharon.net