Reports or announcements from legal institutions or historical commissions

Belgium's Court of Appeals Orders Reparations for Mixed-Race Women Kidnapped During Colonial Rule

Dec 2, 2024, 01:01 PM

Belgium has been ordered by its Court of Appeals to pay reparations to five mixed-race women who were forcibly placed in an orphanage 70 years ago during the colonial era in Congo. The court in Brussels ruled that the practice of separating these children from their families constituted a crime against humanity. The Belgian State has been condemned for its actions during the colonial period, with the court acknowledging the forced placement of mixed-race children as an act of 'kidnapping'. The state's actions were described as 'shocking' and without statute of limitations for such crimes. The decision marks a significant acknowledgment of historical injustices committed during Belgium's colonial rule over Congo, with the testimonies of the affected women collected to support the case.