More and more phone tapping used by Belgian police

More and more phone tapping used by Belgian police

Last year, the Belgian police proceeded to 7,475 phone tapping measures within the framework of 957 judicial investigations, indicates Monday Sudpresse, on the basis of the Minister of Justice’s response to a parliamentary question. It is 5% more than in 2016, and a record. This number, which was 5,590 in 2011, never ceases to increase, especially because of the battle against terrorism.

Koen Geens also insists on the savings made on the bill: these phone taps cost the State 6 million euros, against 13 to 14 million euros in the previous years. A difference which is due to an agreement passed with the operators, who now work in part on a flat-rate basis, to which priced services are to be added, underlines Sudpresse.

Telephone tapping is limited to serious crime cases, such as a terrorist crime or human trafficking. A police officer must have the investigating judge’s agreement before employing this method.


The Brussels Times


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