Meanwhile in Belgian courtrooms ...

13.Feb.03 - On the 11th of February a court in Bruxelles ruled that the five police officers have to appear in front a criminal court in bruxelles to stand trail for their involvement in the deadly deportation of Semira Adamu in 1999. Among the accused are the three officers that restrained the deportee and pushed a cushion in her face and their two superiors that have also been aboard of the airplane. The 20 year Nigerian refugee Semira Adamu died as a consequence of this violent treatment on board of a Sabena flight to Abidjan on the 22nd of september1998.
This decision comes 10 days before the debut of a criminal trail against 18 members of the 'Collectief contre les expulsions et les centres fermés' (collective against deportations and closed centers). The activists stand trail for their involvement in anti-deportation actions following the death of Semira Adamu and violent deportations of 74 roms arrested during a police raid on the 4th October 1999 in Gand. The accusations range from 'destruction of mobile goods', 'threatening by gestures' to 'malicious obstruction of traffic'. These processes are remarkable as they intend to criminalize entire groups of activists (another 9 persons involved are to appear in front of a judge in Liège at an yet unspecified date later this year) for their involvement in protest actions by charging them with obscure violations.

More information about the background of these trails and the various activities to support the accused can be found at the following (french-language) web sites:

more information: www.fortress-europe.org | www.stopcentresfermes.be | www.collectifs.net