Bruges lawyer targeted with threats after release of coastal tram violence suspects
Lawyer Pieterjan Dens filed a complaint after receiving threats directed at his wife and son. He is defending a suspect in the violence committed on the coastal tram at De Haan.
A Bruges lawyer targeted with threats after release of coastal tram violence suspects
Bruges lawyer Pieterjan Dens filed a complaint with police on Friday evening after receiving numerous threats via email and Facebook. According to vrt.be, these intimidations follow the release under conditions of three suspects involved in a violent assault on the coastal tram at De Haan.
A few days earlier, five De Lijn employees and two police officers had been attacked aboard the coastal tram. The alleged perpetrators — a group of young people — did not have valid travel documents. Bruges court of appeal ordered the release of three of the four suspects on Friday, with the fourth remaining in custody. The three released are subject to strict conditions: ban from entering West Flanders for three months, curfew, and monthly payment of 100 euros into an account intended for possible compensation of victims.
Dens is representing the 18-year-old suspect from Ninove. Following the announcement of the releases, threatening messages multiplied. "At first there were a few, then it just kept increasing," he explains. "In the past, I have already received threats and I have never filed a complaint. It's part of the job. But this time, my wife and son were also involved, and that crossed a line."
The lawyer emphasises that the release decision prejudges nothing about the guilt of the suspects. "The perception in the street is that the suspects are not being punished, but that's wrong," Dens states. "The only question asked here is: is it necessary for a person to remain in prison while awaiting trial, or can they go home under conditions? This is a frequent misunderstanding in society."
Despite the pressure, Dens maintains he will not withdraw from the case. "I will absolutely continue to defend this man," he says. "I have also kept in contact with him and his family. They find the situation very difficult. I am not abandoning him and I will act accordingly if necessary."
Source: Google News BE NL