BRUSSELS/BEIRUT:Official Statement by the Lawyers of the Survivors of the Sabra and Shatila Massacre Concerning Positive Legislative Developments in Belgium: Plaintiffs Welcome New Bill, Lawyers Express Confidence in Relaunching Case against Sharon, Yaron, and other Israelis and Lebanese
On Wednesday, 22 January 2003, the Justice Commission of the Belgian Senate voted in favour of the Interpretative Bill on Universal Jurisdiction.
[ For an explanation of this bill, see http://www.merip.org/mero/mero073002.html ]
The Bill will now proceed to both chambers of the Parliament.
The adoption of the Interpretative Bill will enable the Belgian judiciary to relaunch an investigation into war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in the course of the 1982 Sabra and Shatila massacre in Beirut, Lebanon. A second Bill incorporates the 14 February 2002 ruling of the International Court of Justice in The Hague reconfirming the immunity of sitting heads of state and government into existing Belgian legislation concerning Universal Jurisdiction.
On Wednesday, 22 January 2003, the Justice Commission of the Belgian Senate voted in favour of the Interpretative Bill on Universal Jurisdiction.
[ For an explanation of this bill, see http://www.merip.org/mero/mero073002.html ]
The Bill will now proceed to both chambers of the Parliament.
The adoption of the Interpretative Bill will enable the Belgian judiciary to relaunch an investigation into war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in the course of the 1982 Sabra and Shatila massacre in Beirut, Lebanon. A second Bill incorporates the 14 February 2002 ruling of the International Court of Justice in The Hague reconfirming the immunity of sitting heads of state and government into existing Belgian legislation concerning Universal Jurisdiction.