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April 17, 2025 – Belgium –
On April 13, 2025, freelance journalist Thomas Haulotte was arrested by Brussels-Capital/Ixelles police while covering a civil disobedience protest near the European institutions. Despite presenting his official press card, Haulotte was detained alongside activists putting up anti-far-right posters. The police claimed he was part of the activist group, even though he identified himself as a journalist on assignment.
Haulotte recounted that during the nighttime action, activists were surrounded by two police vans. “About ten officers got out and asked us to stand aside,” he said. Haulotte immediately explained to the officers that he was reporting on civil disobedience actions and showed his press card. However, he was still arrested due to a presumed association with the activists.
The Flemish Association of Journalists (VVJ) and the French-speaking Association of Professional Journalists (AJP) have condemned the arrest, emphasizing that journalists have the right to report on public events without prior police approval. The AJP announced plans to involve the Permanent Oversight Committee on the Police Services (Comité P) and file a complaint.
The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) issued an alert to the Council of Europe’s Platform for the Protection of Journalism, highlighting the incident as a violation of press freedom. The Council’s Secretary General is expected to notify ambassadors of the 47 member states and request official explanations from Belgium.
This incident adds to growing concerns about the safety of journalists in Belgium. In recent years, there have been multiple reports of journalists facing violence and intimidation during public demonstrations. The arrest of Haulotte underscores the need for clear guidelines and protections to ensure that journalists can carry out their work without fear of arrest or harassment.
As of now, the Brussels police have not provided further comments on the incident. Press freedom organizations continue to advocate for accountability and the safeguarding of journalistic rights in Belgium.
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