The trial of seven members of the Flemish far-right group, Schild & Vrienden, including its founder and former MP Dries Van Langenhove, has faced another delay, Le Soir reports.
The group is charged with violating anti-racism and denialism legislation.
Today, after a prolonged wait, Judge Jan Van den Berghe announced a recusal request against three criminal court judges, submitted by Van Langenhove's defence. The exact reasons remain undisclosed. Van Langenhove was not in the courtroom at the time.
The judges have 48 hours to decide on their potential withdrawal. If they remain, the Ghent Court of Appeal will rule on the matter, potentially pushing the case back by weeks.
Els Keytsman of anti-discrimination NGO Unia expressed frustration at the delay, stating they have seen "no arguments from Dries Van Langenhove" in his defence. Lawyer Abderrahim Lahlali also criticised the procedural delays, hinting at potential political motivations to move the trial closer to upcoming elections.
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The trial was initially delayed when Van Langenhove's defence challenged the impartiality of judge Jan Van den Berghe on 12 September. The objection was ultimately dismissed by the court, who attempted to proceed with the trial.
The trial follows a VRT investigation five years ago into Schild & Vrienden. The probe revealed members sharing numerous racist, sexist and homophobic messages on private Facebook and Discord groups, prompting an official investigation by the East Flanders Public Prosecutor's Office.
