One of Belgium’s most prominent trial lawyers has been found guilty by a court in Ghent of libel of the head of a religious order during the trial of three doctors involved in a case of euthanasia. The case involved a woman who was euthanised on the grounds of ‘psychological suffering’.
Walter Van Steenbrugge was representing the doctor accused of improperly administering euthanasia. He petitioned the court for René Stockman, head of the Catholic Brothers of Charity, to be called as a witness.
Van Steenbrugge accused Brother Stockman of attempting to improperly influence the law by writing to the Ghent prosecution service in order to convince them to prosecute. He also aired his misgivings on VTM News, leading Stockman to sue for libel.
Now a court in Ghent has upheld Brother Stockman’s complaint, which carries a possible penalty of one year in prison.
