Victims of attacks lack understanding of how the public process chair ends

Only a few people were present in the Justitia building in Brussels on Thursday to listen to the verdict on damages in one of the most important trials in our country. This ruling also brings to an end the long process, the criminal part of which began in December 2022.

Some victims and lawyers were surprised by the way the majority court ended the trial. The president did not provide a summary of the 617-page judgment or list any findings. There was also no closing word for the victims.

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Philippe Vansteenkiste of the V-Europe victims association is disappointed. He also notices that there is a lack of understanding among many victims of the attacks about the way in which the biggest trial in the history of Belgium was brought to an end. “We thought the chairman would at least give a summary of the decision, but that didn’t even happen. She closed the books and adjourned the hearing.”

“It is a long and difficult process,” said judges Vansteenkiste, “which took nine months.” The victims then had to wait another year for compensation. A brief summary and a farewell word to end this long process, which would have already made a difference to many victims.”

Vansteenkiste admits that the rest of the process went properly, with the necessary attention for the victims. Neither the victims nor the perpetrators yet know the specific amounts that were given. “We’ll get that by email, I suspect just Monday.”

Symbolic damage

However, the lawyer also puts the importance of these amounts into perspective. “This is mostly a symbolic measure to acknowledge the suffering of the victims.”

So it is unlikely that they will ever be paid by the criminals. “Almost all criminals are broke,” Vansteenkiste explains.

In order to be compensated for some of the damage they have suffered, victims can still turn to the government. “The last authority they can turn to is the Financial Aid Commission,” says Vansteenkiste. It’s really about the state helping the victims instead of the perpetrators.”

The court now has five days to put the judgment on the record. All parties can then read the judgment. The 1,216 victims who filed civil proceedings are aware that the perpetrators may not be able to pay compensation. Therefore, the content of the judgment has mostly a symbolic value.