The Hindu : International : Court rules Flemish Bloc illegal

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Nov 11, 2004

International

International

Court rules Flemish Bloc illegal

BRUSSELS: Belgium's High Court upheld a ruling condemning the Far-Right Flemish Bloc party for violating racism laws. Tuesday's ruling by the Brussels Court of Cassation means the party will no longer get government subsidies allocated to political parties, and will be forced to disband because it has been legally declared a racist organisation. The court's decision is final and cannot be appealed. The Flemish Bloc party chairman, Frank Vanhecke, vowed to take the case to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, France. ``This confirms that the Belgian State is not respecting democratic rights,'' Mr. Vanhecke said. The High Court found no reason to question an April lower court verdict in a suit brought in 2000 by two non-governmental rights organisations. That ruling condemned the Flemish Bloc — or Vlaams Blok in Dutch — for targeting immigrants in racist terms, and fined three associations $57,975 for distributing racist literature as part of fundraising efforts for the party. — AP

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