BRUSSELS — The Antwerp public prosecutor is investigating Flemish Interest leader Filip Dewinter for a possible breach of child protection laws.

The investigation was prompted after Dewinter placed a video on his website showing two youths vandalising a parked car.

Belgian youth protection legislation outlaws the publication or spread of images in which the identity of underage offenders are revealed.

Dewinter said the video was made in the spring of 2004 by an exasperated resident of the Somerstraat in Antwerp, newspaper ‘De Standaard’ reported on Thursday.
 
The man allegedly gave the footage to the police as well, and the youth was arrested before being released shortly after.

Dewinter said he is aware that publishing the film places him legally on the edge of a knife.

The Antwerp public prosecutor said the footage was taken on 24 April 2004. The two youths, aged at the time 12 and 15, were placed in a youth custody centre.

[Copyright Expatica News 2005]

Subject: Belgian news