Bad blood? Belgian Constitutional Court rules on gay and bisexual blood ban
In September 2019, the Belgian Constitutional Court (‘BCC’) reviewed the constitutionality of a law setting up a 12-month blood donation deferral period for men who have sex with men (MSM)....
Direct or Indirect Discrimination: Same Difference?
Should a finding of indirect discrimination be sanctioned in the same way as a finding of direct discrimination? A recent case confronted the Belgian Constitutional Court with precisely this question....
Antwerp Court muddies the waters: Belgian Burkini Ban Justified
On 18 December 2018, the Antwerp court of first instance held that the burkini ban in the Antwerp Police Regulations does not constitute discrimination based on religion. As opposed to...
The Belgian Burkini Ban, Dead in the Water?
On the 5th of July, the Ghent court of first instance held a ban on burkinis in two public swimming pools to constitute discrimination. In both these cases Muslim women...
First Criminal Conviction under Belgium’s Anti-Sexism Act
A man who made sexist remarks to a female police officer was sentenced to pay a €3,000 fine and became the first person to be convicted under Belgium’s 2014 Anti-Sexism...
Guilty of Rape, But Not Punished
On 3 February 2016, the Criminal Division of the Court of First Instance of Ghent in Belgium found a 33-year old man guilty of rape, but decided to suspend the...
Belgian Parliament Introduces Sex Quota in Constitutional Court
On the 4th of April, the Belgian Parliament passed a Bill that introduced a sex quota in the composition of the Constitutional Court (CC). It requires the Court to be...
