In Belgium the Ghent criminal court convicted the Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses on 16 March 2021 of inciting discrimination and hatred against former members and imposed a fine of EUR 96,000 (a EUR 12,000 base fine with the statutory eightfold surcharge); the Ghent Court of Appeal acquitted on 7 June 2022, holding the avoidance policy did not literally call for discrimination, hatred or violence; the Court of Cassation rejected Unia's appeal on 19 December 2023 (P.22.0971.N), finding, according to Unia's summary of the judgment, that the policy strongly discourages contact with ex-members and treats it as sinful but does not incite the breaking of parent-child or spousal bonds.
Claim ID claim-shunning-belgium-2021-2023Concerns 19 December 2023Independent finding
“De vzw Christelijke Gemeente van Jehovah’s Getuigen werd veroordeeld tot een geldboete van 96.000 euro voor het aanzetten tot discriminatie en haat tegen ex-leden.”
Charges under art. 22, 1°-4° of the 2007 Anti-Discrimination Act (incitement to discrimination and to hatred/violence against individuals and a group); Unia and about fifteen former members were civil parties; complaint lodged 2015 by a former member. Unia's own summary (12 Jan 2024 update, https://www.unia.be/nl/actua/gelovigen-antidiscriminatiewet) also records the 2022 acquittal and the Cassation ruling.
Provenance and verification note for Unia (Belgian Interfederal Centre for Equal Opportunities) case-law database: Correctionele rechtbank Oost-Vlaanderen, afdeling Gent, 16 maart 2021, vzw Christelijke Gemeente van Jehovah’s Getuigen — conviction for incitement to discrimination and hatred
Confidence note. Unia case page and Unia news update opened; date, charges, fine and parties confirmed. The judgment text itself was not opened.
“no indication that the avoidance policy leads to generalized social isolation”
The Court of Appeal held that announcing a member's name at meetings 'can on its own not incite discrimination', that the avoidance policy does not 'literally call for discrimination ... nor literally for hate or violence', and that a religion 'may issue guidelines that strongly discourage or deem friendships sinful' provided they do not incite unlawful conduct.
Provenance and verification note for Unia case-law database: Hof van beroep Gent, 7 juni 2022, Acquittal of vzw Christelijke Gemeente van Jehovah’s Getuigen on appeal
Confidence note. Unia case page opened (fetch tool rendered the Dutch summary in English); outcome and date confirmed; judgment text not opened. Downgraded to supported after review: the page was opened but the wording or date recorded here was tool-summarised, translated or inferred rather than confirmed by eye; re-read before upgrading.
Accessed. 19 September 2026 · Source ID.src-unia-2022-0607-ghent-court-of-appeal
“the exclusion policy does not incite breaking of bonds between parents and children or between spouses”
The Court of Cassation upheld the 2022 acquittal; it found the policy 'strongly discourages and designates as sinful' contact with ex-members but that members 'have free will to leave'.
16 March 2021 · Jeroen Desmecht; Hanne Decré · VRT (Belgian public broadcaster)
“De religieuze regels staan in onze maatschappij niet boven de wet.”
Reports the Ghent criminal court conviction; explains that the base fine of €12,000 is multiplied by eight (statutory 'opdeciemen') giving €96,000; names complainant Patrick Haeck (35-year member, expelled 2010) and Unia with fifteen ex-members as civil parties.
“The Jehovah’s Witnesses’ shunning policy cuts to the very core of relationships, and the victims suffer both physical and psychological consequences”
English-language report of the same judgment giving the €12,000 base figure (before the statutory multiplier); quotes civil-party lawyers and Patrick Haeck.
January 2024 · pp.79-105 · Massimo Introvigne · CESNUR
““Shunning” does not apply to cohabiting relatives.”
Essay by a sociologist who defends the practice; useful only for its litigation chronology (Ghent 16 March 2021 conviction; 7 June 2022 reversal; Court of Cassation 19 December 2023).
A direct link to this claim is https://jwtruth.org/evidence/claim-shunning-belgium-2021-2023/. Every source above opens the original document or the best available copy. If you believe the wording, date or context is wrong, report an error.