Public opinion is aware of the overcrowding in Belgian prisons and its catastrophic consequences, often condemned by international reports, but we may suppose that the responsible authorities hardly want further denunciation. And if that denunciation refers to ‘prisons within prison’, the high security cells exported by the US after 11 September, the accuser almost inevitably become ‘persona non grata’.
We can understand that the authorities would become very nervous, but at bottom, the point is that Luk Vervaet is a human rights activist for detained persons. For the authorities, he has become embarrassing and undesirable. In the current climate of ‘war against terrorism’, the vague wording ‘for reasons of security’ is the perfect alibi to target him and, who knows, to try to silence him.
Luk Vervaet, besides, risks losing his job, for his employer, the organisation Workshop for Prisoners’ Education, depends on the goodwill of prison governors and penal authorities. Under pressure from superiors or not, prison governors could decide from one day to the next that Dutch lessons are no longer necessary, immediately affecting Luk Vervaet’s employer.
For anyone suspected of terrorism, the normal laws no longer apply: inhuman and degrading treatment or extradition to states which do not respect international human rights norms become accepted practice. The Belgian state intends to send Nizar Trabelsi to the US; 3 years ago, the same state tried to extradite Bahar Kimyongur, Belgian by birth, to Turkey via the Netherlands. Apparently today, someone who maintains contacts with or defends the fundamental rights of persons suspected of terrorism, becomes a suspect himself, as Luk Vervaet’s suspension indicates. The irony is that he is also a founder member of the pluralist Platform for the defence of freedom of speech, and now risks becoming a victim of the ‘hunt for activists’ which this platform denounces (like the case of Electrabel against the Greenpeace activists, accused of ‘formation of a gang’). It is unacceptable that a person who reminds the authorities of the elementary rules of law and rights should be threatened with a work ban: this is unworthy of a State governed by the rule of law. Luk Vervaet is regrettably not an isolated case. Public opinion should be aware that in the post-September 11 era a climate has developed in which any activist, NGO, union or critical intellectual can be targeted.
For this reason we forcefully protest the professional ban suspended over the head of Luk Vervaet.
We demand that his suspension be immediately lifted.
In the name of the Platform for freedom of expression:
Prof. dr. Lieven De Cauter, cultuurfilosoof, RITS/Kuleuven, prof. dr. Jean Bricmont, fysicus, UCL; Christophe Callewaert, Indymedia, Caroline Coopers, algemeen secretaris Vlaams ABVV; Ludo De Brabander, vzw Vrede; Stephan Galon, Hoofd international departement ABVV; Michel Genet, Algemeen Directeur Greenpeace Belgium, Eric Goeman, woord Woordvoerder Attac Vlaanderen, voorzitter Democratie 2000; prof. dr. Rudi Laermans, socioloog, KuLeuven.
First co-signatories:
Aarrass Farida, secrétaire, Egalité, soeur du détenu politique Ali Aarrass
Arnaut Karel, antropoloog, UGent
Bauwens Ginette, filosofe, filosofische kring Aurora
Benallal Samira, DeClik
Beyens Kristel, prof dr, criminologie, VUBrussel
Boustani Mariem, Assistante de projets, ATRIUM
Bouteldja Houria, Indigènes de la République, France
Bracke Sarah, prof dr, godsdienstsocioloog, KULeuven
Brion Fabienne, prof dr, criminologie, UCLouvain
Brissa Didier, altermondialiste mise sur écoute en 2001, UAG
Brohée Fabienne, enseignante, EEPSIS Horrues
Casteels Dirk, interprofessioneel ACV-militant
Celestri Giovanni, militant CSC
Choua Saddie, filmmaakster
Cols Jean-Claude, décorateur, Attac Bruxelles
Cornil Jean, député fédéral PS
Couls Françoise, déléguée syndicale LBC
De Backer Leen, curator, M HKA
De Boos Elfi, leraar ncz
De Fossé Ronnie, ir, informaticus
De Ley Herman, em.prof. UGent
de Vries Alec, philosophe
De Vuyst Hildegard, dramaturg KVS
De Witte Ludo, auteur
Delmotte Paul, professeur dr.
Demirkapi Deniz, éducatrice
Dermagne Jean-Marie, avocat, ancien Bâtonnier, maître de conférences à l’université
Derriche Ouardia, militante des droits humains
Devillé Aleidis, socioloog, KULeuven.
Dille Koen, lid nationaal bestuur Masereelfonds
Djegham Myriam, CIEP-MOC Bruxelles
Dupont Peter, journalist, lektor journalistiek
Dyab Abou Jahjah, activist, Lebanon/Belgium
Fadil Nadia, postdoctoraal onderzoekster sociologie, KULeuven
Fautré Sarah, bénévole à Radio Panik Bruxelles
Fekete Liz, Editor, IRR European Race Bulletin, London
Fernandez Alvarez Serge, LCR, vakbondsafgevaardigde CSC-Transcom Poste
Flinker Jean, enseignant, CLEA, Attac Bruxelles
Gay Cristina, Une Autre Gauche
Genot Zoé, députée fédérale ECOLO Bxl-H-V
Geraci Joseph, délégué syndical CNE-GNC, CSC
Gonzalez Juan Carlos, délégué syndical CSC et membre du C.E de Delhaize "Le Lion"
Gordon Avery F., Prof, Depart of Sociology, Univ of California, Santa Barbara, US
Hamidi Malika, doctorante EHESS
Haritaworn Jin, Dr., Fellow in Transnational Gender Studies, London School of Economics and Political Science
Hermans Sarah, huisarts
Houtart François, prof. ém. de l'UCLouvain
Jacobs Dirk, hoogleraar sociologie, ULBruxelles
Jenart Nathalie, directrice cpms, ville de Bruxelles
Kimyongur Bahar, inculpé procès DHKP-C,
Lambert Manu, conseiller juridique de Ligue des Droits de l’Homme, Belgique
Lauwaert Dirk, schrijver
Lefevre Jean-Louis, militant CSC
Léglise Bernard, délégué syndical CSC
Liénard Bénédicte, cinéaste
Lippens Ronnie, PhD, Professor of Criminology, Keele University, UK
Louckx Fred, Socioloog, VUBrussel
Macioti Paola Gioia, PhD sudent, Open University, UK
Mestrum Francine, lector ULBruxelles
Mouedden Mohsin, journaliste indépendant
Nicolas François, compositeur, chercheur associé à l'Ens et à l'Ircam
Oosterlinck Stijn, ASRO, Kuleuven
Paci Delphine, avocate, présidente de la section belge de l'Observatoire International des Prisons
Palma Jorge, chercheur, ULg, membre du CLEA
Pataer Paul, voorzitter Vluchtelingenwerk Vlaanderen
Pauwels Dirk, kinesitherapeut - manueel therapeut – ergonoom
Rich Hayat, militante CNE
Riera Ataulfo, LCR, assistant parlementaire
Roels Frank, em. prof, Universiteit Gent
Roland Michel, prof médecine générale et médecine sociale ULBruxelles
Rothe Johanna, PhD Student, History of Consciousness and Feminist Studies, Santa Cruz
Saïdi Nordine, Egalité, Mouvement Citoyen Palestine
Sanders Geert, syndicaal afgevaardigde ABVV
Schatz Dagmar, medecin, Allemagne
Schomblond Christiane, chargée de cours honoraire de l'ULBruxelles
Sim Joe, Professor, UK
Swyngedouw Erik, sociaal geograaf, Manchester University
Terryn Peter, jeugdwerker, vzw Chicago.
Tindemans Klaas, professor RITS
Turner Patricia, secrétaire d'achat, affiliée CNE
Van Damme Mieke, copywriter
van den Berghe Gie, prof, ethicus, UGent
Van der Vorst Leen, coördinator IPSOC-Bijscholing
van Dijck Geert, houtbewerker
van Hemeldonck Marijke, ere-europees parlementslid SPa
Van Nieuwenhove Saskia, journaliste
Vanden Bavière Paul, journalist Uitpers
Vanderveken Mark, Commission de surveillance Forest-Berkendael-Sint-Gillis
Vanhaesebrouck Karel, Universiteit Maastricht, Rits
Vanmol Erwin, huiscartoonist Knack
Verbelen Coralie, employée administrative Delhaize Group
Vercruyssen Frank, acteur, TG Stan
Vergaelen Eva, intercultureel consulent
Vindevogel Denise, cinéaste
Vogelskamp Dirk, Komitee für Grundrechte und Demokratie, Köln
Walmacq Stephane, employé magasinier
Walters Lorne, chercheur indépendant
Wastyn Ridouan, militant CSC
Webber Frances, lawyer, London
Willaert Dominique, Victoria Deluxe
Wood Rebecca, researcher, UK
Zahidi Karim, UAntwerpen/Ugent
[Sign the petition on line]
