Freedom of information association Transparencia, its founder as well as the website manager have been sentenced by the Brussels Court of First Instance for slanderous remarks taking place on their Facebook group against the Brussels municipality of Woluwe-Saint-Pierre and several of its representatives, the municipality reported on Tuesday.
On 11 June 2022, a comment appeared on the association’s Facebook page which made accusations of abuse of power against Woluwe-Saint-Pierre mayor Benoît Cerexhe, in particular describing him as an “autocrat baron”. The post also targeted First Alderman Caroline Lhoir, accusing her of supporting Mr Cerexhe.
The comment also referred to a “beating” by the police, “false” press releases and police reports, and a desire on the part of the burgomaster to conceal “the disastrous state of his municipality’s schools”. This was without providing any evidence to back up these remarks.
The Commune of Woluwe-Saint-Pierre filed a civil liability lawsuit against Transparencia, considering these remarks defamatory and damaging to the honour and reputation of the Commune and its representatives.
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This was ultimately upheld by the court last Wednesday, which considered that such an attack on the integrity of the Commune’s representatives also undermined public confidence in local democratic bodies.
The defendants were therefore ordered to make a correction and to post a copy of the judgment against them on the association’s Facebook page and website, subject to penalty payments of €10,000 per day of delay.
