Na Bélgica, o tribunal criminal de Gante condenou a Congregação Cristã das Testemunhas de Jeová em 16 de março de 2021 por incitação à discriminação e ao ódio contra ex-membros, e impôs uma multa de 96.000 euros (uma multa-base de 12.000 euros com o acréscimo legal de oito vezes); o Tribunal de Apelação de Gante absolveu a entidade em 7 de junho de 2022, entendendo que a política de evitar o contato não pedia literalmente discriminação, ódio ou violência; a Corte de Cassação rejeitou o recurso da Unia em 19 de dezembro de 2023 (P.22.0971.N), concluindo, segundo o resumo da decisão feito pela Unia, que a política desencoraja fortemente o contato com ex-membros e o trata como pecado, mas não incita ao rompimento dos vínculos entre pais e filhos ou entre cônjuges.
Claim ID claim-shunning-belgium-2021-2023Concerns 19 de dezembro de 2023Conclusão independente
A afirmação e as suas provas
Conclusão independente · 19 de dezembro de 2023Respaldado
A posição da organização ou explicação posterior: Não foi localizada nenhuma declaração do jw.org sobre o caso belga; as perguntas frequentes citam outros tribunais em apoio.
“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.
Nota de procedência e verificação 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
Nota de confiança.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.
Nota de procedência e verificação for Unia case-law database: Hof van beroep Gent, 7 juni 2022, Acquittal of vzw Christelijke Gemeente van Jehovah’s Getuigen on appeal
Nota de confiança.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.
Consultado em. 19 de setembro de 2026 · Identificador da fonte.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 de março de 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.
16 de março de 2021 · Maïthé Chini · The Brussels Times
“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.
janeiro de 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/pt-br/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.