The trial of the attacks in Brussels is officially postponed to a later date, which has not yet been determined. If the president of the assize court, Laurence Massart, had considered, Thursday, the possibility of maintaining at least the draw of jurors on October 10, this option is now definitively abandoned, indicated Friday to Belga Anne Leclercq, magistrate spokesperson for the Brussels Court of Appeal.
The SPF Justice replied on Friday to the president of the assize court that it will not be possible to hold the jury draw hearing on October 10 according to the option she had proposed on Thursday, explained Anne Leclercq. The president had indeed declared that she would write to the SPF Justice to propose that at least the draw of the jurors be maintained on October 10, with the defendants placed outside the non-compliant boxes, in another place in the room, framed of policemen. It envisaged that the start of the hearing instruction, scheduled for October 13, be postponed, to allow adjustments to the boxes, within the shortest possible time. This scenario has therefore just been considered unfeasible by the FPS Justice. It is therefore now clear that the approximately 800 citizens who had been called as candidate jurors will have to be reconvened at a later date.
As a reminder, the President of the Assize Court ordered, on September 16, that the boxes of the accused be dismantled and rebuilt, because they violate several articles of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights. These nine individual glass boxes, completely closed, in particular do not allow the accused to have direct contact with their lawyers, placed in front of their clients. However, in a letter dated September 21, the SPF Justice told the magistrate that these development works could not be completed by October 10.
How much will this postponement of the trial cost?
This postponement will cost a lot of money. For the construction of the boxes, 250,000 euros were spent. For the demolition and transformation of these, this same amount could be disbursed. For glass boxes that have been used for a single day, we can count 500,000 euros.
Another problem, for the composition of the jury, 800 candidate-jurors were summoned by a bailiff. This represents 20,000 euros. As the trial has been postponed indefinitely, an additional 20,000 euros will have to be paid.