BRUSSELS, July 21 (KUNA) -- The Belgian Federal Prosecutorآ’s Office announced on Monday that the police had questioned two Israeli nationals accused of committing war crimes during their presence at the Tomorrowland music festival in the city of Boom, in Belgiumآ’s Antwerp province.
In a statement, the Belgian Federal Prosecutorآ’s Office explained that the move came after receiving two complaints concerning the participation of two Israeli occupation soldiers suspected of belonging to the Israeli armyآ’s Givati Brigade, who reportedly raised their unitآ’s flag during the festival.
According to the complaints, the two soldiers are accused of committing war crimes and acts of genocide in the Gaza Strip, including deliberately targeting civilian areas, engaging in torture, and forcibly displacing civilians.
The prosecutorآ’s office noted that after an initial review of the complaints, it found grounds to assert jurisdiction under Article 14/10 of the Belgian Code of Criminal Procedure, which came into force on 28 April 2024.
This article grants Belgian courts extraterritorial jurisdiction over crimes committed outside the country, particularly those covered by international treaties such as the 1949 Geneva Conventions on war crimes and the 1984 United Nations Convention Against Torture.
The statement added that the two Israeli occupation soldiers were released following preliminary investigations, with no further action taken at this stage.
This action followed an urgent legal complaint filed earlier this week by the Palestinian Hind Rajab Foundation in cooperation with the Global Legal Action Network.
In a statement, the Palestinian foundation described the development as "an important precedent in activating international jurisdiction to pursue those involved in war crimes" and a sign of "growing commitment by European judicial authorities to hold perpetrators accountable regardless of their nationality or military rank." (end) arn.mt