Hate Crime

Unidentified

20
Jul

INFORMATION OF INCIDENT

ANALYSIS OF HATE CRIME

  • FACTS

An attempt was made to burn down the Lucerna school in Antwerp, which Gülen movement volunteers made significant contributions to establishing.

– EVALUATION OF THE CASE UNDER THE BELGIUM CRIMINAL CODE AND THE ANTI-   DISCRIMINATION LAW

According to the Belgian Criminal Code and the Anti-Discrimination Act[1], anyone who insults or/and physically attacks a person or a group because of hatred based on differences in language, race, nationality, color, gender, disability, political opinion, philosophical belief, religion or sect is liable to a fine or imprisonment.

In the case, an attempt was made to burn down the Lucerna school in Antwerp, which Gülen movement volunteers helped establish. The motive behind the attempt to burn down the Lucerna school is the perpetrator’s hatred of the victim’s political opinion.

In conclusion, in the case, there is a hate crime committed by public authority officials.

  • EVALUATION OF THE CASE UNDER INTERNATIONAL LAW

According to the Office for Human Rights and Democratic Institutions (ODIHR)[2] of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), a hate crime is a criminal act motivated by bias against a group. Hate crimes comprise two elements: a criminal offence and a bias motivation.

In the case, an attempt was made to burn down the Lucerna school in Antwerp, which Gülen movement volunteers helped establish. According to the Office for Human Rights and Democratic Institutions’ definition of a hate crime, there is a hate crime motivated by the organization’s association with the Gülen movement.

CONTEXTUAL INFORMATION

Lucerna Schools

The Lucerna school group was founded in 2003 with the aim of providing an education in which dynamism, science and multiculturalism are important values. It is a group of schools open to all children, regardless of their origin and philosophy of life. Its vision is to attach importance to responsibility towards society, learning and mastering democratic values and norms, and developing personality and talents.

[1] 534quater of Belgian Penal Code and Article 22 of Anti-Discrimination Law

[2] https://hatecrime.osce.org/