With this in mind, Dymphna wrote the message below to the Belgian embassy. For those who want to do something similar, please remember to modify her text, so that your own letter reflects your individual thoughts and feelings. If the embassy staff perceive these to be “form letters”, they will be ignored.
Once again, here is the contact info for the USA:
Embassy of Belgium in the United States
3330 Garfield Street N.W.
Washington, DC 20008
| Phone: | 202-333-6900 | |
| Fax: | 202-333-3079 | |
| 202-333-5457 | ||
| Email: | Washington@diplobel.org | |
| Website URL: | www.diplobel.us |
And this is what Dymphna wrote:
To the Belgian authorities:- - - - - - - - -
I have read with great dismay the decision to put Bart Debie into a prison population that has in it many people who wish him harm.
When the state punishes a former police officer, it is imperative that they protect him from those he may have arrested or caused to be imprisoned due to the job he held while in law enforcement. If this does not happen, then no policeman is truly safe.
Mr. Debie has been convicted of the crime of “racism”. He did nothing violent and should be protected from those who are serving sentences for violence against others.
I respectfully ask that the Belgian government consider this case carefully. Given the severe penalties assessed against this man already, it seems like overkill (so to speak) to also place him in a community of violent offenders to serve his time.
Since your government has been known to give alternative sentences to other offenders, I hope that this mercy will be shown to Mr. Debie. He does not deserve to die in Vorst prison. It is my understanding that the prison authorities think this outcome is likely.
Surely as civilized a country as Belgium can find another way to satisfy the terms of Mr. Debie’s conviction?
Thank you for this consideration.
Bart has reached the point where he has no further legal recourse that might keep him out of jail. The only thing that can make a difference is a flood of grassroots indignation which will embarrass the Belgian authorities.
We’re just a small part of that process, and in order to be effective, we all need to take part. Please pass the word on to others.
5 comments:
That's an excellent letter Baron and Dymphna and we all need to do something to stop this injustice.
I tried to write to the Belgian embassy in London but there online contact form doesn't work. I have however managed to contact Amnesty International and I'm awaiting their response.
Breath not held though.
Amnesty International would probably support his imprisonment and murder.
I am going to write a letter as well. I think this issue is of utmost importance.
@Homophobic:
No shit Sherlock?
I think you might find the comments in the first thread about this most informative
It's good that his life seems safe, but the underlying matters of principle have not been resolved, far from it. He has been convicted for a quasi-offence, and even one that he did not commit personally, only that he did not prevent others from committing it.
This should have been handled as an internal affair by his superior, perhaps bypassing a promotion or something. Making this a matter of law is arbitrary justice at its worst.
I've written a fresh letter for the Belgian embassy. Two dense pages. Will be interesting to see how they respond. From the name of the Belgian ambassador to Denmark, I assume he's Flemish. With any luck, he'll take the part of Bart.
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