Hasselt (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – This afternoon, people working in justice gathered outside the courthouse in Hasselt to call attention to the staffing problem. The action is part of the campaign “justice deserves respect, it’s five to twelve”, which addresses structural problems within justice.
Justice employees came together this afternoon in Hasselt in protest of the lack of staff. The action is part of the campaign “justice deserves respect, it’s five to twelve”, which addresses structural problems within justice, as reported by VRT.
Each week, the campaign tackles a different matter, and this week, it was due to the lack of staff in the justice system. Bart Willocx, as the First President of the Court of Appeal of Antwerp, argues that the problem receives insufficient attention compared to other fields.
“If 1 in 4 jobs in a hospital or a school are not filled, you also have a big problem,”
he says.
The campaign is a consequence of years of poor financing for justice. As a result, it is now more challenging for public prosecutors to do their duties properly. Many times, hearings are postponed or cancelled, leading to problems for both lawyers and the public.
What is the history of justice system challenges in Belgium?
For years, Belgium’s justice system has been affected by French law, mainly the Napoleonic Code of Criminal Procedure from 1808, which is still generally used today.
Since Belgium gained its independence in 1830, efforts have focused on overcoming the judge-led investigations that could unfairly favor prosecution and work to prevent lengthy detention before trials and support for the defendants. In the beginning, proper justice was also reformed to make the system more effective.
