Last Tuesday, the European Union Court of Human Rights upheld Belgium’s 2011 ban on wearing the full-face veil, also known as the niqab, in public places.

This decision comes after two Muslim women mounted a legal challenge to the ban, claiming that it violated their civil rights. Belgian national Samia Belcacemi and Moroccan national Yamina Oussar both say they voluntarily choose to wear the niqab and that in not being able to, their right to religious freedom is being infringed upon.

Oussar reportedly told the court that she decided to stay home after the ban was introduced in fear of legal repercussions. Belcacemi continued to wear the veil for a period, but stopped because of societal pressure and fear that she would be heavily fined.

Under the law, individuals who fail to comply with the law regarding full-face coverings face penalties ranging from a hefty fine to imprisonment for repeat offenders.

The European Court of Human Rights upholds a Belgian ban on wearing the full-face niqab veil in public pic.twitter.com/S1unR1Y4Dq

— AFP news agency (@AFP) July 11, 2017

Siding with Belgium’s legislature in a unanimous vote, the seven-person panel said a statement that the ban is “necessary in a democratic society” and that the Belgian law is meant to ensure “public safety, equality between men and women and a certain concept of living together in a society.”

A hot-button issue in Europe

The topic of people’s freedom of religious expression in the public sphere has been at the forefront of European politics for several years now.

Belgium is not the first country to take a stance against the niqab or burqa. France banned full-face veils in 2010, and since then, at least 10 other European countries have placed limitations on Islamic dress. Just last month, Norwegian legislators proposed a ban on full-face veils in public schools and universities. The bans are largely seen as a response to the influx of refugees in the region. In Belgium, the 2016 terror attacks have also intensified the debate.

Federal Pensions Minister Daniel Bacquelaine, a member of Belgium’s Reformist Movement party, said on Twitter he was delighted at the court’s announcement, which he believes will strengthen Belgians’ ability to live together.

“To forbid the veil as a covering is to give them more freedom,” Baquelaine said back in 2010 before the law passed. “If we want to live together in a free society, we need to recognize each other.”

Since the E.U. court’s decision, human rights groups have expressed their discontent with the ruling.

“Fostering human relations is a laudable goal,” wrote Hillary Margolis, the Women’s Division Researcher at Human Rights Watch. “But forcing women to choose between wearing what they want and being able to appear in public isn’t the way to do it.”

Celia Heudebourg

Celia Heudebourg is an editorial intern for Law Street Media. She is from Paris, France and is entering her senior year at Macalester College in Minnesota where she studies international relations and political science. When she’s not reading or watching the news, she can be found planning a trip abroad or binge-watching a good Netflix show. Contact Celia at Staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post EU Human Rights Court Upholds Belgian Ban on Full-Face Veil appeared first on Law Street.

Welcome to RantCrush Top 5, where we take you through today’s top five controversial stories in the world of law and policy. Who’s ranting and raving right now? Check it out below:

Republican House Candidate Body-Slams Reporter

A Republican candidate running for Congress in a Montana special election has been charged with misdemeanor assault for body-slamming a reporter from the Guardian. He also broke the reporter’s glasses and shouted, “Get the hell out of here.” Greg Gianforte, a millionaire who was endorsed by President Donald Trump, seems to have lost his temper when political reporter Ben Jacobs asked him about the Republican health care plan. There is an audio recording of the incident, but no video. However, three Fox News journalists also witnessed the assault. “Faith, Keith, and I watched in disbelief as Gianforte then began punching the man, as he moved on top the reporter and began yelling something to the effect of ‘I’m sick and tired of this!’” said reporter Alicia Acuna, adding that Jacobs had not shown any form of aggression.

Montana GOP candidate Greg Gianforte allegedly “body slammed” a reporter, according to audio and witness accounts https://t.co/Y3hQofhQ8C pic.twitter.com/l0ZfXAfw3p

— CNN (@CNN) May 25, 2017

Gianforte’s campaign spokesman blamed Jacobs and said that he was the aggressive one, contrary to the Fox News account. In a statement, the campaign claimed that Jacobs grabbed Gianforte’s wrist and spun away, “pushing them both to the ground.” “It’s unfortunate that this aggressive behavior from a liberal journalist created this scene at our campaign volunteer BBQ,” the statement read. But this account was contradicted by eyewitnesses and the audio recording, in which Gianforte is heard asking whether Jacobs is with the Guardian, and saying, “The last guy did the same damn thing.” Voting for the special election is today, and we’ll have to see if this incident has any impact on Gianforte’s chances.

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post RantCrush Top 5: May 25, 2017 appeared first on Law Street.

For much of civilized history, borders were constantly in flux; empires expanded and dissolved, nations fractured into smaller states. Now we live in a world where borders are seemingly fixed lines on a map, bolstered by fences (or perhaps walls) and patrolmen on the ground. But not so for Belgium and the Netherlands. On Monday, with the swish of a royal pen, the two countries swapped a total of about 42 acres of land, settling a 55-year-old territorial quandary.

In 1961, authorities raised the riverbed of the Meuse river, which intersects Belgium’s northeast border with the Netherlands, in order to aid ship navigation. The move inadvertently shifted land belonging to the Belgians to the Dutch and vise versa. Brokered last June, the new deal will redraw the squiggly border from 1843, which will be straightened out to run parallel to the Meuse, effectively swapping about 35 acres total from Belgium to the Netherlands, and about seven acres from the Netherlands to Belgium.

Read more on treaty on border correction with #Netherlands, signed by MFA @dreynders & NL MFA #Koenders: https://t.co/k6wjGTziOF #BELNL2016 pic.twitter.com/1dCVmD970p

— Belgium MFA (@BelgiumMFA) November 28, 2016

It all started with a headless body. About three years ago, Dutch citizens stumbled upon a decapitated corpse rotting on one of the parcels of land that was then under Belgian jurisdiction but located on the Dutch side of the river. Because it belonged to Belgium, Dutch authorities were not allowed to investigate the small pocket of land, which has been described as a refuge for wild sex parties and drug-related activities. The body’s unfortunate location–on a peninsula surrounded by a strong river current and on land connected to one country but belonging to another–put Belgian officials in a bind.

“So we had to go there by boat with all that was needed–the prosecutor, the legal doctor, the judicial lab–we had to do round trips over the water. It really was not very practical,” Jean-Francois Duchesne, police Commissaire of the Lower Meuse region in Belgium told the Associated Press last year when the land-swap deal was brokered. The episode triggered both sides to face their impractical reality and spurred a movement to hammer out a new border.

Free from the typical bloody border disputes peppering world history textbooks, Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders said the deal is “proof that borders can be redrawn in a peaceful way.” Both countries benefit from the fact that all of the land concerned in the deal is barren: nobody lives there, and no buildings of any sort have been built. The new border is set to go into effect on January 1, 2018.

Alec Siegel

Alec Siegel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. When he’s not working at Law Street he’s either cooking a mediocre tofu dish or enjoying a run in the woods. His passions include: gooey chocolate chips, black coffee, mountains, the Animal Kingdom in general, and John Lennon. Baklava is his achilles heel. Contact Alec at ASiegel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post A Holiday Miracle: Belgium and the Netherlands Willingly Trade Land appeared first on Law Street.

The city of Brussels, Belgium fell victim to a series of ISIS-claimed terror attacks during Tuesday’s morning rush hour at the Zaventem airport and downtown Maelbeek subway station. So far, at least 34 people have been reported dead, and the number of those injured is in the hundreds.

“A lot of people were on the floor” — #Brussels attack witnesses describe carnage, chaos https://t.co/QVs0OWNXSv pic.twitter.com/bzXcdH0Gyr

— CNN (@CNN) March 22, 2016

In total there were three explosions. The first two took place at around 8 AM local time, or 3 AM Eastern time in the departure hall of the Brussels Airport. Officials have said that at least one of the explosions was triggered by a suicide bomber. The blasts happened outside of the security checkpoints for passengers near an airline check-in counter and a airport Starbucks. Reports have placed the first attack’s death toll at 14 people ,and estimated the number of those injured to be 92.

About an hour later there was another explosion, which targeted the Maelbeek subway station which resides in the heart of Brussels. At least 20 people were killed and 106 were injured at the subway station.

Images and videos of the attacks showed panicked travelers escaping trapped train cars and fleeing the smoke filled airport.

Warning: The following video shows actual images from after the attack.

Belgium has called for three days of national mourning and has effectively shut down travel in and out of the city. All flights in and out of the international hub have been suspended and the entire subway network has been closed. Workers at two nuclear power plants in Belgium were also evacuated, but so far there has been little information on whether or not there is a direct threat to the facilities.

Amaq News Agency, an ISIS-affiliated new agency, released a statement that claimed Islamic State fighters armed with explosive belts were responsible for the attacks. The statement also claimed that the bombers “opened fire” before detonating their bombs inside Zaventem Airport.

Many believe the attacks may have been in response to the Friday arrest of Salah Abdeslam, who is considered to have been the main fugitive and sole survivor involved in the November 13 terror attack in Paris that killed 130 people.

Belgium authorities have released the following photo to the media of the three men who are currently suspects in the airport attack. According to BBC, “the two men dressed in black are believed to have blown themselves up, while the man in white is thought to have escaped.”

Image of three possible suspects in #Brussels airport attack widely shared by Belgian media https://t.co/oyQsHushEk pic.twitter.com/L3i3vU8SyK

— BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking) March 22, 2016

President Obama offered his condolences for the attacks at the beginning of his long awaited speech to the Cuban people Tuesday, saying:

We stand in solidarity with them in condemning these outrageous attacks against innocent people. We will do whatever is necessary to support our friend and ally Belgium in bringing to justice those who are responsible. And this is yet another reminder that the world must unite. We must be together regardless of nationality or race or faith in fighting against the scourge of terrorism. We can and we will defeat those who threaten the safety and security of people all around the world.

Many people have also responded by sharing their condolences on social media.

The international community comes together for #Brussels: https://t.co/S8dORpsnOJ pic.twitter.com/0y3jYFJnQ8

— Good Morning America (@GMA) March 22, 2016

The senseless tragedy today breaks my heart. Sending thoughts & prayers to #Brussels. Time for us to stand together. pic.twitter.com/85kDLXicSR

— Caitlyn Jenner (@Caitlyn_Jenner) March 22, 2016

I hate waking up to yet another terrorist attack.This world is out of control. #notagain #PrayersForBrussels pic.twitter.com/La6ELmAs7F

— kingscourtautographs (@kingscourtgraph) March 22, 2016

A lot of details surrounding the attacks are still unknown, and we could still see a rise in the death toll and the number of those injured. We’ll continue to update you with more information as it comes.

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post World Shocked by Terror Attacks in Brussels, Death Toll Still Rising appeared first on Law Street.

The hunt intensified in Brussels Sunday as Belgium underwent the country’s highest level of terror alert. Authorities investigated an unspecified “serious and imminent threat” that many believe was in connection with ISIS and the alleged gunmen involved in the Paris attacks.

Steven Vandeput, Belgium’s minister of defense, and police in Brussels asked residents to refrain from posting any information on social media that would expose police whereabouts and activities during the raids for security purposes.

Police are asking the public not to report their movements on social media, please support & rt #BrusselsLockdown

— Steven Vandeput (@svandeput) November 22, 2015

However, in the midst of an intense lockdown, Belgians had the purr-fect response–cat photos.

Belgian police asks users to post cute cat pics with the hashtag #BrusselsLockdown to show terrorists some love. RT! pic.twitter.com/omisqm83m0 — jochem maes (@hetjoch) November 22, 2015

Instead of going completely silent, Belgians used humor to defuse the situation by flooding Twitter with a stream of hilarious cat photos using #Brusselslockdown. The tweets showcased memes and gifs portraying trapped Belgians, the police, and suspected terrorists all as cats, and we’ve gathered some of the best below.

so now we wait. #BrusselsLockdown pic.twitter.com/xUhmh1mlPm

— sjeel (@whatkindafukery) November 22, 2015

Stay inside they said. #BrusselsLockdown pic.twitter.com/hpAfV417Hf

— Julia Reda (@Senficon) November 22, 2015

BREAKING NEWS : Belgium Police using the new 200mph Hovercat during terrorist operations #BrusselsLockdown pic.twitter.com/MnIpiOZT3x — Jayce le Satirique (@jaycelight) November 22, 2015

You can’t keep hiding. #BrusselsLockdown pic.twitter.com/4ls1e9qB3s — Lore Vonck (@lorevonck) November 22, 2015

They got him #BrusselsLockdown pic.twitter.com/qrKBKRh0Tc — Geert Van Bondt (@Geertvanbondt) November 22, 2015

Meanwhile in Belgium … #BrusselsLockdown pic.twitter.com/9RIU4nD1WZ — Paul Taquet (@au_taquet) November 22, 2015

Picture of Belgium’s National Security Council when the door opens in the middle of the meeting #BrusselsLockdown pic.twitter.com/4oWuBRtipO — Florence (@flowindey) November 22, 2015

Don’t tell them I’m there!!! #BrusselsLockdown pic.twitter.com/SNfoXCISjl — Emmanuel Di Pretoro (@edipretoro) November 22, 2015

Residents told to stay away from windows. Not sure they got the message #BrusselsLockdown pic.twitter.com/kv3Mosk5mZ — Matteo Albania (@m_albania) November 22, 2015

BREAKING: Belgian police have released a photograph of the main supect #BrusselsLockdown pic.twitter.com/8FDAjZglZn — Jeroen Flamman (@jflamman) November 22, 2015

Suspicious backpack found in #Molenbeek #BrusselsLockdown pic.twitter.com/kbUvVYtsSg — Parliamonster (@Parliamonster) November 22, 2015

Belgian police snipers at the #GrandPlace #BrusselsLockdown pic.twitter.com/CYsY3kxTWi — Idafe Martín Pérez (@IdafeMartin) November 22, 2015

Major police operation underway in #BrusselsLockdown pic.twitter.com/DUZwfi0lOO — Harry Boone (@towersight) November 22, 2015

#BrusselsLockdown supporting Belgian Police. We’re stronger than we think! #Brave pic.twitter.com/x5Lq7pKKb1 — Wendy Carrara (@wcarrara) November 22, 2015

https://t.co/w5LF7a5qNa  when searching for the latest news on  #BrusselsLockdown! pic.twitter.com/vy9etNyHmk — Ruta Ly (@rutaly) November 22, 2015

May the force be with us. #BrusselsLockdownpic.twitter.com/m9OuEVhfXS — TineEeckhout (@TineEeckhout) November 22, 2015

On Monday, Belgium’s police tweeted out a big bowl of cat food “for the cats who helped us yesterday” to show their gratitude for the trending hashtag.

Voor de katten die ons gisteren geholpen hebben… Alsjeblieft! #BrusselsLockdown pic.twitter.com/QlwY9EtzEZ

— Federale Politie (@FedPol_pers) November 23, 2015

But the search is not over. Brussels’ schools, universities, and subway system remain closed Monday as authorities continue to search for individuals suspected of planning Paris-like attacks on the city.

Let’s hope the kitties scared all the bad guys away.

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Belgians Respond to Terror Lockdown By Flooding Twitter With Cat Photos appeared first on Law Street.

Laura, a 24-year-old woman without a terminal illnesses, is making headlines after she qualified for euthanasia in Belgium. Euthanasia is the act of deliberately ending a person’s life to relieve them from a form of suffering. Although Laura does not have a life-threatening sickness, she has qualified for this procedure due to the depression she has dealt with for several years. We typically do not hear of stories like this occurring in the U.S. because there are very few states that have legalized euthanasia and there are strict regulations, including that the patient has to be terminally ill. However that’s not the case everywhere, and while the date of Laura’s death has not been decided yet, her story has raised many questions about the ethics of euthanasia worldwide.

Laura’s argument is pretty straightforward. She has been a patient of a psychiatric institution for the past three years and stated that she has tried to kill herself on multiple occasions. During both her childhood and adult life she suffered from “suicidal thoughts.” She told journalists, “Death feels to me not as a choice. If I had a choice, I would choose a bearable life, but I have done everything and that was unsuccessful.”

Although most states in the U.S. have not legalized it, seven out of ten Americans back euthanasia. The U.S., and other developed countries, can learn from the proliferation of the practice in various European nations. In 2002 Belgium became only the second country to legalize euthanasia, following the Netherlands. This allowed Belgian doctors to help patients end their lives if they expressed a wish to die to relieve suffering. Any competent adults and emancipated minors can request this procedure if they feel that what they are dealing with is beyond any medical help. In February of 2014, the Belgian Parliament passed a bill also allowing euthanasia for terminally ill children, although any children must have parental concent. This makes Belgium the first in the world to have legalized euthanasia without an age limit.

The country has had a large increase in euthanasia cases over the past few years. In 2013, 1,807 deaths were recorded as opposed to 2012 when there were 1,432 deaths recorded. More than half of the patients were over the age of 70, but recently younger patients have been requesting this procedure more frequently due to depression. Dr Marc Van Hoey, a general practitioner and president of the Right to Die Association in northern Belgium, is an open supporter of the law. Van Hoey told the Independent newspaper that he believes that sometimes this procedure is the kindest option. He stated,

I’ve seen quite a lot of persons dying in – how do you say in proper English – agony?…I never saw that when I gave someone euthanasia he or she asked for.

Although euthanasia is considered acceptable to many, there are people who are not in favor of this law at all. Carine Brochier, a project manager with the Brussels-based European Institute of Bioethics, believes that this law is leading to too many young people in Belgium dying. “Euthanasia is not the answer to all human suffering,” Brochier says. “We need to develop better palliative care for people,” something she believes Belgium is not currently doing. Opinions on euthanasia vary, but majorities have been supporting the law for the past two decades.

Euthanasia should be legal, should be about quality of life not sanctity of life. It shouldn’t be illegal if you want to stop the suffering

— Mark Bowden (@markbowdn) May 26, 2015

Euthanasia should just be made legal, no one should have to suffer in their own bodies not being able to do anything about it

— michael cum thru (@hurrymgc) December 14, 2014

No, euthanasia should not be legal and God owns your life. Believer or not, it’s the truth #ontopictalkshow

— Sema. (@Sema187) May 31, 2015

In contrast, in the U.S. euthanasia is legal in four states. Montana requires those seeking the procedure to be a “terminally ill, competent patient.” Oregon, Washington, and Vermont have also legalized euthanasia but require patients requesting it to be 18 years old or older and a resident of the state. The patient must also be capable of making and communicating health care decisions for himself and have been diagnosed with a terminal illness that will lead to death within six months.

This has been a particularly controversial debate because it’s impossible to truly analyze how someone is feeling. In a case like Laura’s, it seems to go against accepted norms to not work with her to treat her depression. Detractors from euthanasia worry that it gives the doctor too much power and romanticizes death. On the other hand, advocates argue that allowing euthanasia gives people control over their own lives. Whether or not we’ll see euthanasia become legalized in the U.S. to the same extent as Belgium any time soon is questionable, but Laura’s story certainly sparked many questions.

Taelor Bentley

Taelor is a member of the Hampton University Class of 2017 and was a Law Street Media Fellow for the Summer of 2015. Contact Taelor at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Euthanasia Without Terminal Illness: Should it Be Legal? appeared first on Law Street.

Previous fun facts about French life have let us in on a little secret: French people are picky. Each French city’s mayor or maire possesses the authority to establish policies that maintain public order. In Paris, rules vary according to arrondissement, or district.

So, the French are detail oriented. They like their rules and that’s okay.

However, their latest regulation—on copyright—is so strict that it’s funny. La Tour Eiffel, the Eiffel Tower’s official website states that although snapping some photos of the famous landmark is alright in the daylight, pictures are off limits when the sun goes down. My deepest condolences to anyone who ever dreamed of having a nighttime Parisian wedding photo shoot. The website explains, “its various illuminations are subject to author’s rights as well as brand rights. Usage of these images is subject to prior request from the “Société d’Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel.”

The structure of the Eiffel Tower itself is in the public domain. What isn’t in the public domain is the show put on at night during which different color lights are projected onto the landmark. That, instead, belongs to an artist who takes liberties and utilizes style to determine which lights, colors, speed the illuminations take place. Therefore, a reproduction of the work would require permission—and perhaps compensation—of said artist.

Essentially, it’s a time issue. The Eiffel Tower was built long before pretty lights were shone on it. This EU Information Society Directive includes a clause asserting that buildings in public spaces are to be in the public domain. However, France is one of the countries that refrained from adopting the directive into its law.  Italy and Belgium also refused the directive and retained their stricter policies. Belgium experiences the same issues with its Atomium, delineating on its website that “the image of the Atomium is protected and can only be used under certain conditions…Prices depend on whether it is to be used for a cultural, educational or commercial purpose.”

One must ask: when copyright law restricts something so large, so famous, and so iconic, how can it truly be enforced?

Wikipedia pages are being careful about it. Atomium pages include censored images or photographs of Atomium models. Poor Instagram will probably never see the legal light show. Illegal, however, can be found by a simple search of #eiffeltower. Google Images is chock-full o’ examples.

Ultimately, the regulation probably isn’t causing any tourists severe angst. That doesn’t, however, detract from the fact that it is copyrighted and nighttime Eiffel Tower pictures constitute infringement. We may take for granted our ability to legally Instagram post Lady Liberty at 3:00am with abandon.

The post Your Nighttime Eiffel Tower Pictures Are Illegal appeared first on Law Street.