Belgium prosecuting non-Belgians

Factual Questions
1

What’s the deal on a Belgian law that lets them prosecute no-Belgians for messing with other non-Belgians in another country?

2

Those Belgians, are always like, in your face you know?

Could you possibly be talking about war crimes prosecution? If so the fact that it’s in Belgium is mostly moot as it’s an international tribunal.

3

Could you be more vague please?

4

No, the O.P. is referring to a specific Belgian law. CNN.com did a story on it, Belgium’s legal trap for world leaders:

5

Thanks, MEBuckner.
CP

6

“Belgium is the only country which allows its courts to prosecute anyone in the world for war crimes, wherever they were committed.”

But the U.S. expressly allows any non-U.S. citizen to sue for a tortious act that violated international law or a treaty to which the U.S. is a party. Under a law that’s been around since the 1790s! 28 U.S.Code sec. 1350.

link

[I shortened the link-bibliophage]

[Edited by bibliophage on 08-27-2001 at 07:50 PM]

7

I’ve read that Belgium is likely to review this law, as it is turning Belgium into a fighting ground for various international parties.

8

I’m quite surprised this opportunity isn’t used by various plaintiffs all over the world? Why, according to you?

9

My understanding is that they will only refit it, installing some procedure to filter the complaints, and possibly also in order to prevent current heads of state from being prosecuted (the case of Israel’s prime minister is quite embarrassing).

Hopefully, the future international court will solve this issue and will have a less arguable legitimacy (though it will only prosecute crimes commited after its installation).

10

“I’m quite surprised this opportunity isn’t used by various plaintiffs all over the world?”

It has been, when:

  1. the victims of torture, etc. by some oppressive regime abroad manage to get into the U.S. legally, and
  2. an official who victimized them personally manages to subject himself to U.S. jurisdiction, as on a business trip.

http://www.asil.org/insights/insigh50.htm
http://www.crimesofwar.org/relate_alternative_print.html
http://www.umich.edu/~iinet/journal/vol6no1/mackinnon.html

The relatively high-profile cases mentioned in the articles linked above have had the result that many ex-torturers, etc. with assets to lose and surviving victims or victims’ relatives in the U.S. avoid coming to the U.S. as much as reasonably possible.