Matthias Schoenaerts book: “A dangerous precedent” says the author

Matthias Schoenaerts book: “A dangerous precedent” says the author

Stan Lauryssens, the author of the book “Schoenaerts”, had no choice but to accept the Antwerp judge’s ruling telling him to put a sticker on every copy of his book explaining that it contains inaccuracies. “I think that it creates a dangerous precedent as it touches on the Freedom of the Press”. “I worked on this book or three years. I read hundreds of interviews with Schoenaerts and I talked to hundreds of people. How can the judge know there are mistakes in barely a week? Can he check all the sources in that short time? I don’t think so”, states Stan Lauryssens.
He will not however appeal the decision, judging it useless seeing as the measures imposed by the judge will be applied anyway. The writer wonders if they are realistic. “Can we really make bookshops put this sticker on? Or expect me to go round all the shops in Flanders and do it myself?”
Stan Lauryssen estimates that the ruling is a dangerous precedent. “Every author that wants to write a book on somebody will now be on their guard in case they end up before a judge, which damages the Freedom of the Press”.

(Source: Belga)


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