Saturday, May 15, 2004
From Belgium Indymedia May 14, 2004 , translated on Libertyforum I recently sent to the newspapers a letter, saying that I was in possession of compromising photographs relevant to the Dutroux affair. I wanted to see what would happen – it was a little test for our democracy.
I gave them notice that I would be before the Palais de Justice that Thursday, from 1 till 4 pm, to hand over these pictures to journalists.
The results of my experiment were most interesting.
Firstly, there is no freedom of expression, because I was quickly arrested by the police, before I had any chance to show anyone the photographs. I was taken away for fingerprinting and mugshots, as if I were a criminal (just as in the affair of Prince Roland, where I was held in prison for 2 days.)
Secondly, I had the chance to notice that the police had given orders, apparently very strict ones, to the press. They were to neither take, nor look at, those photographs. I must conclude that it is judicial decisions which decide what the press can do and say, and that the media does not have freedom to act independently. (Does not everyone know that democracy depends upon total liberty of the media?)
The events show that the police knew of my coming, although I had only sent two letters to the media. One can therefore pose the question, is there a link between the police and the press?
Finally, if these photos were truly compromising, they would have disappeared with no one knowing what became of them.
I therefore wish to denounce this farce [the trial of Dutroux], this B-grade movie with a big budget, and [demand] that they stop trying to deceive us.
Bien à vous,
Vincent Peal .....---
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