Majesteitsschennis behoort eindelijk tot het verleden
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Het Vlaams Belang stelt met genoegen vast dat het Grondwettelijk Hof zich vandaag in een arrest uitsprak tegen een strafbepaling rond ‘majesteitsschennis’. “Net als de erfelijke monarchie zelf is een strafbepaling aangaande majesteitsschennis een relict uit ver vervlogen tijden”, zegt fractievoorzitter in de Kamer Barbara Pas. “Maar zolang deze bepaling in het Strafwetboek stond, konden mensen hierom vervolgd worden.”
“Voor mensen die zich omwille van een of andere uitlating beledigd zouden voelen, bestaat de wetgeving omtrent laster en eerroof. Daarvoor heeft de koning echt geen afzonderlijke wetsbepaling nodig”, aldus Pas. “En daarnaast ging het strafrechtelijke privilege van de koning regelrecht in tegen het principe van de vrijheid van meningsuiting. Op een staatshoofd met reële politieke macht moet kritiek kunnen worden geuit, zonder vrees voor een wetgeving die dit steeds kan bestraffen.”
“Het afschaffen van de majesteitsschennis was de logica zelve, nu de monarchie nog”
Het Grondwettelijk Hof volgde in haar arrest het standpunt van het Europees Hof voor de Rechten van de Mens, dat zich ondertussen al meermaals uitsprak tegen de bestraffing van majesteitsschennis. “In dit land moeten buitenlandse staatshoofden gebruik maken van dezelfde wetgeving als deze die geldt voor iedere burger wanneer ze zich lasterlijk bejegend voelen. Er is dan ook geen enkele reden om voor de koning een andere regeling in stand te houden.”
“We kunnen enkel toejuichen dat de aftandse wetgeving aangaande de majesteitsschennis, daterend uit 1847, eindelijk naar de stortplaats van de geschiedenis is verwezen”, besluit Pas. “In tijden waarin elke zweem van kritiek op machthebbers zomaar afgedaan kan worden als ‘hate speech’, was het immers niet ondenkbeeldig dat ook van deze wetgeving nog misbruik zou worden gemaakt om critici te vervolgen en de mond te snoeren.”