Ghent (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The court convicted 36-year-old Romanian man Marian Salabin for the manslaughter death of Yunus Calik. On Wednesday evening, the Court of Assizes jury in Ghent made their verdict. The victim passed away in 2021 after fighting in a street brawl which occurred in Aalst.
The Court of Assizes in Ghent brought down a manslaughter verdict against Romanian national Marian Salabin when he reached the age of 36. The jury reached this decision on Wednesday evening.
The brawl took place in Aalst streets in 2021 when Calik received fatal head injuries that led to his death. Salabin escaped to France following the brawl before Belgian authorities executed his arrest in 2022 and brought him back to Belgium. His jail term will start this Friday. The fatal fight between people occurred between November 19 and 20, 2021, within Lange Zoutstraat of Aalst.
The witnesses found Yunus Calik unresponsive on the floor with a major injury to his head before medical professionals transported him to the hospital in serious condition. His death occurred on November 24 as a result of the fatal injuries.
The autopsy report revealed that Calik succumbed to fatal damage in both his head and brain. The evidence from multiple witnesses and recorded video footage showed that Calik received a taekwondo head strike from a kicking motion during his altercation with multiple men. When asked about the incident, Salabin first stated that his friend hit Calik until revealing that he was the one who delivered the final kick that left Calik unconscious and with fatal injuries after he hit his head against the pavement.
What is the history of street violence in Aalst and Belgium?
The urban setting of Aalst witnesses frequent street violence, which has fueled several high-profile incidents across Belgium because of physical conflicts. As a cultural centre in East Flanders, Aalst has become known for its social events, but residents face occasional public fights and violent encounters. Belgium’s legal framework, specifically the Court of Assizes, handles serious offences, including manslaughter, while processing multiple cases of fatal fights throughout the years.
Belgian crime reports indicate that public violence reaches its highest levels overnight within entertainment areas. Modern criminal investigations involving assaults like the ones seen in the Salabin case largely depend on video footage from CCTV cameras along with witness testimonies.
