2 August 2007
BRUSSELS – The appeal court has acquitted a Nigerian drug courier because a camera crew from public broadcaster VRT had filmed his arrest. The man was intercepted at Zaventem Airport last year together with two others. The three were en route from Africa to Italy and had each stowed a large quantity of cocaine internally.
The Canvas programme Terzake had been given permission to film the checks at the airport, the questioning and also the examinations in the hospital.
The man was later convicted and sentenced to three years in prison by the court but his lawyer appealed the verdict.
The appeal court has now suspended the verdict because it found that the Nigerian’s privacy and human dignity had been violated.
The court also reprimanded the federal police for granting permission for the filming.
[Copyright Expatica News 2007]
Subject: Belgian news