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vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Arrest,_trial,_and_punishment"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">9</span> <span>Arrest, trial, and punishment</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Arrest,_trial,_and_punishment-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-See_also" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#See_also"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">10</span> <span>See also</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-See_also-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-References" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#References"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">11</span> <span>References</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-References-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </nav> 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rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><table class="sidebar sidebar-collapse nomobile vcard"><tbody><tr><th class="sidebar-title"><div class="adr"><a href="/wiki/Politics_of_Belgium" title="Politics of Belgium">Politics of Belgium</a></div></th></tr><tr><th><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:State_Coat_of_Arms_of_Belgium.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/19/State_Coat_of_Arms_of_Belgium.svg/130px-State_Coat_of_Arms_of_Belgium.svg.png" decoding="async" width="130" height="170" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/19/State_Coat_of_Arms_of_Belgium.svg/195px-State_Coat_of_Arms_of_Belgium.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/19/State_Coat_of_Arms_of_Belgium.svg/260px-State_Coat_of_Arms_of_Belgium.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="512" data-file-height="670" /></a></span></th></tr><tr><th style="border-bottom: #aaa 1px solid"></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="text-align:left; background:lavender;;color: var(--color-base)"><a href="/wiki/Constitution_of_Belgium" title="Constitution of Belgium">Constitution</a></div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Taxation_in_Belgium" title="Taxation in Belgium">Taxation</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Constitutional_Court_of_Belgium" class="mw-redirect" title="Constitutional Court of Belgium">Constitutional Court</a></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="text-align:left; background:lavender;;color: var(--color-base)"><a href="/wiki/Monarchy_of_Belgium" title="Monarchy of Belgium">Monarchy</a></div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Monarchy_of_Belgium" title="Monarchy of Belgium">Monarch</a> (<a href="/wiki/List_of_Belgian_monarchs" title="List of Belgian monarchs">list</a>) <dl><dd><a href="/wiki/Philippe_of_Belgium" title="Philippe of Belgium">Philippe</a></dd></dl></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Duchess_of_Brabant" class="mw-redirect" title="Duchess of Brabant">Duchess of Brabant</a> <dl><dd><a href="/wiki/Princess_Elisabeth,_Duchess_of_Brabant" title="Princess Elisabeth, Duchess of Brabant">Elisabeth of Belgium</a></dd></dl></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Crown_Council_of_Belgium" title="Crown Council of Belgium">Crown Council</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/House_of_Saxe-Coburg_and_Gotha" title="House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha">Royal Family</a></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="text-align:left; background:lavender;;color: var(--color-base)"><a href="/wiki/Belgian_Federal_Parliament" title="Belgian Federal Parliament">Federal Parliament</a></div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Senate_(Belgium)" title="Senate (Belgium)">Senate</a> <dl><dd><a href="/wiki/List_of_Presidents_of_the_Senate_of_Belgium" class="mw-redirect" title="List of Presidents of the Senate of Belgium">President</a>: <a href="/wiki/Stephanie_D%27Hose" title="Stephanie D'Hose">Stephanie D'Hose</a></dd></dl></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Chamber_of_Representatives_(Belgium)" title="Chamber of Representatives (Belgium)">Chamber of Representatives</a> <dl><dd><a href="/wiki/List_of_Presidents_of_the_Chamber_of_Representatives_of_Belgium" class="mw-redirect" title="List of Presidents of the Chamber of Representatives of Belgium">President</a>: <a href="/wiki/Eliane_Tillieux" title="Eliane Tillieux">Eliane Tillieux</a></dd></dl></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="text-align:left; background:lavender;;color: var(--color-base)"><a href="/wiki/Cabinet_of_Belgium" class="mw-redirect" title="Cabinet of Belgium">Federal Cabinet</a></div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/De_Croo_Government" title="De Croo Government">De Croo Government</a> <dl><dd><a href="/wiki/Prime_Minister_of_Belgium" title="Prime Minister of Belgium">Prime Minister</a>: <a href="/wiki/Alexander_De_Croo" title="Alexander De Croo">Alexander De Croo</a></dd></dl></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="text-align:left; background:lavender;;color: var(--color-base)"><a href="/wiki/Judiciary_of_Belgium" title="Judiciary of Belgium">Judiciary</a></div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content"> <ul><li>Administrative jurisdictions <dl><dd><a href="/wiki/Council_of_State_(Belgium)" title="Council of State (Belgium)">Council of State</a></dd></dl></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Supreme_court" title="Supreme court">Highest court</a> <dl><dd><a href="/wiki/Court_of_Cassation_(Belgium)" title="Court of Cassation (Belgium)">Court of Cassation</a></dd></dl></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Appellate_court" title="Appellate court">Appellate courts</a> <dl><dd><a href="/wiki/Court_of_appeal_(Belgium)" title="Court of appeal (Belgium)">Court of appeal</a></dd> <dd><a href="/w/index.php?title=Court_of_labour&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Court of labour (page does not exist)">Court of labour</a></dd></dl></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Trial_court" title="Trial court">Trial courts</a> <dl><dd><a href="/wiki/Court_of_assizes_(Belgium)" title="Court of assizes (Belgium)">Court of assizes</a></dd> <dd><a href="/w/index.php?title=Tribunal_of_first_instance&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Tribunal of first instance (page does not exist)">Tribunal of first instance</a> <dl><dd>Civil tribunal</dd> <dd>Correctional tribunal</dd> <dd>Family and juvenile tribunal</dd> <dd>Sentence enforcement tribunal</dd></dl></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Labour_Court_(Belgium)" class="mw-redirect" title="Labour Court (Belgium)">Labour tribunal</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Commercial_Court_(Belgium)" class="mw-redirect" title="Commercial Court (Belgium)">Enterprise tribunal</a></dd></dl></li> <li><div class="hlist"><ul><li>Minor crimes</li><li>Minor claims</li></ul></div> <dl><dd><a href="/wiki/Police_tribunal_(Belgium)" title="Police tribunal (Belgium)">Police tribunal</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Justice_of_the_peace_(Belgium)" title="Justice of the peace (Belgium)">Justice of the peace</a></dd></dl></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="text-align:left; background:lavender;;color: var(--color-base)">Recent <a href="/wiki/Elections_in_Belgium" title="Elections in Belgium">elections</a></div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content"> <ul><li>European <dl><dd><div class="hlist"><ul><li><a href="/wiki/2009_European_Parliament_election_in_Belgium" title="2009 European Parliament election in Belgium">2009</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/2014_European_Parliament_election_in_Belgium" title="2014 European Parliament election in Belgium">2014</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/2019_European_Parliament_election_in_Belgium" title="2019 European Parliament election in Belgium">2019</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/2024_European_Parliament_election_in_Belgium" title="2024 European Parliament election in Belgium"><i>2024</i></a></li></ul></div></dd></dl></li> <li>Federal <dl><dd><div class="hlist"><ul><li><a href="/wiki/2010_Belgian_federal_election" title="2010 Belgian federal election">2010</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/2014_Belgian_federal_election" title="2014 Belgian federal election">2014</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/2019_Belgian_federal_election" title="2019 Belgian federal election">2019</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/2024_Belgian_federal_election" title="2024 Belgian federal election">2024</a></li></ul></div></dd></dl></li> <li>Regional <dl><dd><div class="hlist"><ul><li><a href="/wiki/2009_Belgian_regional_elections" title="2009 Belgian regional elections">2009</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/2014_Belgian_regional_elections" title="2014 Belgian regional elections">2014</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/2019_Belgian_regional_elections" title="2019 Belgian regional elections">2019</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/2024_Belgian_regional_elections" title="2024 Belgian regional elections">2024</a></li></ul></div></dd></dl></li> <li>Local <dl><dd><div class="hlist"><ul><li><a href="/wiki/2006_Belgian_local_elections" title="2006 Belgian local elections">2006</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/2012_Belgian_local_elections" title="2012 Belgian local elections">2012</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/2018_Belgian_local_elections" title="2018 Belgian local elections">2018</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/2024_Belgian_local_elections" title="2024 Belgian local elections">2024</a></li></ul></div></dd></dl></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Political_parties_in_Belgium" class="mw-redirect" title="Political parties in Belgium">Political parties</a></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="text-align:left; background:lavender;;color: var(--color-base)"><a href="/wiki/Communities,_regions_and_language_areas_of_Belgium" class="mw-redirect" title="Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium">Subdivisions</a></div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Communities,_regions_and_language_areas_of_Belgium" class="mw-redirect" title="Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium">Communities and regions</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Provinces_of_Belgium" title="Provinces of Belgium">Provinces</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Arrondissements_of_Belgium" title="Arrondissements of Belgium">Arrondissements</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Municipalities_of_Belgium" title="Municipalities of Belgium">Municipalities</a></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="text-align:left; background:lavender;;color: var(--color-base)"><a href="/wiki/Foreign_relations_of_Belgium" title="Foreign relations of Belgium">Foreign relations</a></div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/France-Belgium_relations" class="mw-redirect" title="France-Belgium relations">France-Belgium relations</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Belgium-Germany_relations" class="mw-redirect" title="Belgium-Germany relations">Belgium-Germany relations</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Belgium-United_Kingdom_relations" class="mw-redirect" title="Belgium-United Kingdom relations">Belgium-United Kingdom relations</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Belgium-Netherlands_relations" class="mw-redirect" title="Belgium-Netherlands relations">Belgium-Netherlands relations</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Belgium%E2%80%93Luxembourg_relations" title="Belgium–Luxembourg relations">Belgium–Luxembourg relations</a></li></ul> <hr /> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Politics_of_the_European_Union" title="Politics of the European Union">Politics of the European Union</a></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-below"> <span class="nowrap"><span class="mw-image-border noviewer" typeof="mw:File"><span><img alt="flag" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Flag_of_Belgium.svg/32px-Flag_of_Belgium.svg.png" decoding="async" width="32" height="28" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Flag_of_Belgium.svg/48px-Flag_of_Belgium.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Flag_of_Belgium.svg/64px-Flag_of_Belgium.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="900" data-file-height="780" /></span></span> </span><a href="/wiki/Portal:Belgium" title="Portal:Belgium">Belgium portal</a><div class="hlist" style="text-align:center;font-weight:normal;"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Outline_of_political_science#Politics_by_region" title="Outline of political science">Other countries</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-navbar"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239400231">.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:inline;font-size:88%;font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .navbar-collapse{float:left;text-align:left}.mw-parser-output .navbar-boxtext{word-spacing:0}.mw-parser-output .navbar ul{display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;line-height:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::before{margin-right:-0.125em;content:"[ "}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::after{margin-left:-0.125em;content:" ]"}.mw-parser-output .navbar li{word-spacing:-0.125em}.mw-parser-output .navbar a>span,.mw-parser-output .navbar a>abbr{text-decoration:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-mini abbr{font-variant:small-caps;border-bottom:none;text-decoration:none;cursor:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-full{font-size:114%;margin:0 7em}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-mini{font-size:114%;margin:0 4em}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}@media(prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}}@media print{.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:none!important}}</style><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:Politics_of_Belgium" title="Template:Politics of Belgium"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Politics_of_Belgium" title="Template talk:Politics of Belgium"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Politics_of_Belgium" title="Special:EditPage/Template:Politics of Belgium"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div></td></tr></tbody></table><p> According to international observers, <b><a href="/wiki/Human_rights" title="Human rights">human rights</a> in <a href="/wiki/Belgium" title="Belgium">Belgium</a></b> are generally respected and the law and the judiciary provides effective means of addressing individual instances of abuse.<sup id="cite_ref-2008_US_Report_1-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-2008_US_Report-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> However, some concerns have been reported by international human rights officials over the treatment of asylum seekers, <a href="/wiki/Prison_overcrowding" class="mw-redirect" title="Prison overcrowding">prison overcrowding</a> and the banning of full face veils. <a href="/wiki/Capital_punishment_in_Belgium" title="Capital punishment in Belgium">Capital punishment</a> is fully abolished and a prohibition on the death penalty is included in the <a href="/wiki/Constitution_of_Belgium" title="Constitution of Belgium">Constitution of Belgium</a>. Belgium was a founding member of the <a href="/wiki/European_Union" title="European Union">European Union</a> and the <a href="/wiki/Council_of_Europe" title="Council of Europe">Council of Europe</a> and a signatory to the <a href="/wiki/European_Convention_on_Human_Rights" title="European Convention on Human Rights">European Convention on Human Rights</a>. Belgium has minimal issues regarding corruption and was ranked 15 out of 167 countries surveyed in Transparency International's 2015 <a href="/wiki/Corruption_Perceptions_Index" title="Corruption Perceptions Index">Corruption Perceptions Index</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-Freedom_House_2-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Freedom_House-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><meta property="mw:PageProp/toc" /> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Basic_freedoms">Basic freedoms</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Human_rights_in_Belgium&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Basic freedoms"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Belgium's constitution guarantees <a href="/wiki/Freedom_of_speech" title="Freedom of speech">freedom of speech</a> and of the <a href="/wiki/Freedom_of_the_press" title="Freedom of the press">press</a>, although it is illegal to deny <a href="/wiki/The_Holocaust" title="The Holocaust">the Holocaust</a>. Belgians have free access to the Internet, academic freedom, freedom of assembly, freedom of movement within the country, freedom to travel abroad, freedom to move abroad and to move back to the country. </p><p>There is a concern that the French-speaking media, and in particular the <a href="/wiki/French-language" class="mw-redirect" title="French-language">French-language</a> public broadcaster <a href="/wiki/Radio_T%C3%A9l%C3%A9vision_Belge_Francophone" class="mw-redirect" title="Radio Télévision Belge Francophone">Radio Télévision Belge Francophone</a> (RTBF), exercise censorship against non-traditional political parties, that is other than the four leading French-speaking parties: <a href="/wiki/Ecolo" title="Ecolo">Écologiste</a> (ECOLO), <a href="/wiki/Mouvement_R%C3%A9formateur" class="mw-redirect" title="Mouvement Réformateur">Mouvement Réformateur</a> (MR), <a href="/wiki/Parti_Socialiste_(Belgium)" class="mw-redirect" title="Parti Socialiste (Belgium)">Socialist Party</a> (PS), and <a href="/wiki/Centre_d%C3%A9mocrate_humaniste" class="mw-redirect" title="Centre démocrate humaniste">Humanist Democratic Centre</a> (CDH). Extreme right and extreme left parties receive little or no representation in the media or broadcast time.<sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>A 2008 <a href="/wiki/United_Nations" title="United Nations">United Nations</a> report noted that Belgium had not yet ratified the <a href="/wiki/International_Convention_on_the_Protection_of_the_Rights_of_All_Migrant_Workers_and_Members_of_Their_Families" class="mw-redirect" title="International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families">International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Right_to_vote">Right to vote</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Human_rights_in_Belgium&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Right to vote"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1236090951">.mw-parser-output .hatnote{font-style:italic}.mw-parser-output div.hatnote{padding-left:1.6em;margin-bottom:0.5em}.mw-parser-output .hatnote i{font-style:normal}.mw-parser-output .hatnote+link+.hatnote{margin-top:-0.5em}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .hatnote{display:none!important}}</style><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="/wiki/Voting_rights_in_Belgium" title="Voting rights in Belgium">Voting rights in Belgium</a></div> <p>Eighteen is the age when the right to vote is attained.<sup id="cite_ref-Frankal_5-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Frankal-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Male <a href="/wiki/Universal_suffrage" title="Universal suffrage">Universal suffrage</a> was enacted in 1893.<sup id="cite_ref-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Belgium was the first country in the world to introduce <a href="/wiki/Compulsory_voting" title="Compulsory voting">compulsory voting</a>, in 1892 for men and 1949 for women.<sup id="cite_ref-Frankal_5-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Frankal-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Eligible voters who fail to cast a ballot "face a moderate fine or, if they fail to vote in at least four elections, they can lose the right to vote for 10 years."<sup id="cite_ref-Frankal_5-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Frankal-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The <a href="/wiki/European_Court_of_Human_Rights" title="European Court of Human Rights">European Court of Human Rights</a>, in the 1971 case of <i>X v Austria</i>, ruled that "mandatory voting does not violate fundamental freedoms, because only attendance at a polling station – and not voting itself – is compulsory, while the voters also have the option of casting a <a href="/wiki/Blank_ballot" class="mw-redirect" title="Blank ballot">blank</a> or <a href="/wiki/Spoiled_ballot" class="mw-redirect" title="Spoiled ballot">spoiled ballot</a> paper."<sup id="cite_ref-7" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Freedom_of_religion">Freedom of religion</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Human_rights_in_Belgium&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Freedom of religion"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="/wiki/Freedom_of_religion_in_Belgium" title="Freedom of religion in Belgium">Freedom of religion in Belgium</a></div> <p>Freedom of religion in Belgium is protected by law and the constitution. However, religious tension and discrimination has, on occasion, remained an issue within society. In its 2008 annual report, the Center for Equal Opportunity and the Combat against Racism (CEOCR) warned against growing societal violence, harassment, and discrimination against Muslims. Of the 105 religious discrimination incidents reported by the public to the center, 94 concerned discrimination against Muslims. Of the 430 Internet hate incidents that were reported 80 percent were against Muslims. During the year there were reports of a number of anti-Semitic acts, including attacks against persons, verbal harassment of Jews, and vandalism of Jewish property. The law prohibits public statements that incite national, racial, or religious hatred, including denial of the Holocaust. </p><p>In April 2010, the <a href="/wiki/Belgian_Chamber_of_Representatives" class="mw-redirect" title="Belgian Chamber of Representatives">Chamber of Representatives</a> (the lower house) voted to ban the wearing of full face veils such as the <a href="/wiki/Niq%C4%81b" title="Niqāb">niqāb</a> or <a href="/wiki/Burqa" title="Burqa">burqa</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-8" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Human Rights groups condemned this move as a potential violation of the rights to freedom of expression and freedom of religion of those women who wear the burqa or the niqab as an expression of their identity or beliefs.<sup id="cite_ref-9" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-10" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Treatment_of_prisoners_and_asylum_seekers">Treatment of prisoners and asylum seekers</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Human_rights_in_Belgium&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: Treatment of prisoners and asylum seekers"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>While generally meeting international standards, numerous international organisations have noted that Belgian Prisons continue to suffer from overcrowding and in June 2008 the human rights commissioner of the Council of Europe (CE) issued a report noting that 75 percent of all prisons in the country were overcrowded.<sup id="cite_ref-Freedom_House_2-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Freedom_House-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-United_States_Department_of_State_11-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-United_States_Department_of_State-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Belgium is a party to the 1951 <a href="/wiki/Convention_relating_to_the_Status_of_Refugees" class="mw-redirect" title="Convention relating to the Status of Refugees">Convention relating to the Status of Refugees</a> and its 1967 Protocol. Its laws provide for the granting of asylum or refugee status, and the government has established a system for providing protection to refugees. While the government generally provided protection against the expulsion or return of refugees to countries where their lives or freedom would be threatened on account of their race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion; the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) severely criticized conditions in detention centres for migrants and asylum-seekers.<sup id="cite_ref-Amnesty_2009_report_12-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Amnesty_2009_report-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>On August 16, 2020, International Prisons Observatory branch in <a href="/wiki/Brussels" title="Brussels">Brussels</a> condemned the new rule passed by prisons authority to the Brussels bar, which violates <a href="/wiki/Human_rights" title="Human rights">human rights</a> of prisoners and in particular their <a href="/wiki/Right_to_a_fair_trial" title="Right to a fair trial">right to a fair trial</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-13" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Women's_rights"><span id="Women.27s_rights"></span>Women's rights</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Human_rights_in_Belgium&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Women's rights"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:International_women%E2%80%99s_day_2020_(49636061776).jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/39/International_women%E2%80%99s_day_2020_%2849636061776%29.jpg/240px-International_women%E2%80%99s_day_2020_%2849636061776%29.jpg" decoding="async" width="240" height="160" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/39/International_women%E2%80%99s_day_2020_%2849636061776%29.jpg/360px-International_women%E2%80%99s_day_2020_%2849636061776%29.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/39/International_women%E2%80%99s_day_2020_%2849636061776%29.jpg/480px-International_women%E2%80%99s_day_2020_%2849636061776%29.jpg 2x" data-file-width="4896" data-file-height="3264" /></a><figcaption><a href="/wiki/International_Women%27s_Day" title="International Women's Day">International Women's Day</a> march in Brussels, 8 March 2020</figcaption></figure> <p>The age of consent is 16 and sentences for rape in Belgium can range from 10 to 30 years. Police can enter a home without the head of household's consent when investigating a domestic violence complaint and there are government-supported shelters and telephone help lines for victims of spousal abuse. The government's Institute for the Equality of Men and Women exists for the purpose of promoting gender equality and is empowered to bring lawsuits.<sup id="cite_ref-United_States_Department_of_State_11-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-United_States_Department_of_State-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>A 2008 report by the UN's Committee on Discrimination against Women called on Belgium to ensure that women receive equal pay and equal access to jobs. It further recommended that Belgium “take the steps necessary to increase the percentage of women occupying leadership positions in all sectors of the society and to make regular assessments of the effectiveness of those steps.” The report asked for new legislation that would allow women to pass on their last names to their children and also requested that sexual abuse, which under Belgian law is considered a moral offense, be reclassified as a crime of violence.<sup id="cite_ref-daccess-dds-ny.un.org_14-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-daccess-dds-ny.un.org-14"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>14<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Since 2008, Belgian parents are allowed to choose their children's last names. The name should be maternal, paternal or a combination of the two.<sup id="cite_ref-15" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-15"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>15<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Migrant_women">Migrant women</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Human_rights_in_Belgium&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: Migrant women"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>In Belgium, almost 15 percent of women experience some form of partner violence. Migrant women are particularly vulnerable, as they are unable to report their partners for fear of being deported. There have been reports of honor-related violence, forced marriages, and female genital mutilation.<sup id="cite_ref-Human_Rights_Watch_16-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Human_Rights_Watch-16"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>16<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>In 2006 and 2007, the Belgian government sought to address this problem by introducing important clauses in the Law of 15 December 1980 relating to the access to the territory, residence, establishment and removal of foreigners (the “Aliens Act”). These legal changes allow migrants to retain residency rights if they come forward and report family violence.<sup id="cite_ref-17" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-17"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>17<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-18" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-18"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>18<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Minority_rights">Minority rights</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Human_rights_in_Belgium&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: Minority rights"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>According to a 2009 survey, “skin color and dress associated with Islam” are the major factors in discrimination in Belgium, “especially in the areas of housing and employment.” A 2009 CEOCR report said that of all immigrants, Muslims were the victims of the greatest discrimination.<sup id="cite_ref-United_States_Department_of_State_11-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-United_States_Department_of_State-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> An International Helsinki Association report issued in 2007 complained about the “use of racist and xenophobic arguments in political discourse” in Belgium, noting that in April 2006, “the leader of the Front National Party and member of the Brussels Regional Parliament Daniel Féret, was sentenced to 250 hours of community service because of incitement to racial hatred. He was also barred from running for political office for ten years.”<sup id="cite_ref-Belgium_19-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Belgium-19"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>19<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The International Federation of Human Rights Leagues filed a complaint in 2010 before the Council of Europe Social Rights Committee, charging Belgium with mistreating Roma and “travelers,” in part by failing to provide them with adequate housing.<sup id="cite_ref-20" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-20"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>20<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="LGBT+_rights"><span id="LGBT.2B_rights"></span>LGBT+ rights</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Human_rights_in_Belgium&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section: LGBT+ rights"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main articles: <a href="/wiki/LGBT_rights_in_Belgium" class="mw-redirect" title="LGBT rights in Belgium">LGBT rights in Belgium</a> and <a href="/wiki/Same-sex_marriage_in_Belgium" title="Same-sex marriage in Belgium">same-sex marriage in Belgium</a></div> <p>Same-sex sexual activity has been legal in Belgium since 1795, when Belgium was a French possession.<sup id="cite_ref-21" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-21"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>21<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In 2003, Belgium became the second country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage.<sup id="cite_ref-22" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-22"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>22<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Laws forbidding discrimination against gays in employment, housing, and other areas went into effect in the same year. A law passed in 2004 allows any same-sex couple to marry in Belgium if one of the spouses has lived in Belgium for at least three months.<sup id="cite_ref-23" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-23"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>23<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Same-sex couples won equal adoption rights in 2006.<sup id="cite_ref-24" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-24"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>24<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Hiring <a href="/wiki/Surrogacy" title="Surrogacy">surrogate</a> mothers is illegal (for both same-sex as opposite-sex couples).<sup id="cite_ref-25" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-25"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>25<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Gay men are allowed to donate blood.<sup id="cite_ref-26" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-26"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>26<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Belgium's former prime minister, <a href="/wiki/Elio_Di_Rupo" title="Elio Di Rupo">Elio Di Rupo</a>, is openly gay. Belgium was the second country in the world, after Iceland, to have an openly gay head of government.<sup id="cite_ref-27" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-27"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>27<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Employees'_rights"><span id="Employees.27_rights"></span>Employees' rights</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Human_rights_in_Belgium&action=edit&section=9" title="Edit section: Employees' rights"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Belgian law guarantees workers the right to unionize and bargain collectively, and all workers except those in the military have the right to strike. Although compulsory labor is illegal, individuals from Eastern Europe, sub-Saharan Africa, and Asia are <a href="/wiki/Human_trafficking_in_Belgium" title="Human trafficking in Belgium">trafficked to Belgium for prostitution</a> and other kinds of forced labor.<sup id="cite_ref-United_States_Department_of_State_11-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-United_States_Department_of_State-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> A United Nations human-rights report that was issued in 2010 proposed that Belgium provide more assistance to victims of human trafficking and that it change its laws to ensure that residency permits are issued to such persons whether or not they choose to cooperate with court authorities.<sup id="cite_ref-28" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-28"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>28<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Children under 15 are not permitted to work in Belgium; those between 15 and 18 are allowed to do part-time work and to work full-time during school vacations; waivers can be granted for children working in, for example, entertainment. In larger cities some children are exploited by organized gangs of beggars. </p><p>There is a minimum wage; the work day is eight hours, and the work week is 38 hours. These and other rules regulating work hours, safety, and other issues are enforced by the Employment and Labor Relations Federal Public Service.<sup id="cite_ref-United_States_Department_of_State_11-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-United_States_Department_of_State-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Arrest,_trial,_and_punishment"><span id="Arrest.2C_trial.2C_and_punishment"></span>Arrest, trial, and punishment</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Human_rights_in_Belgium&action=edit&section=10" title="Edit section: Arrest, trial, and punishment"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Persons may be arrested only in the act of committing a crime or on orders issued by a judge within the previous 24 hours and defendants have the right to be informed promptly of charges against them.<sup id="cite_ref-United_States_Department_of_State_11-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-United_States_Department_of_State-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In response to complaints about police conduct at demonstrations held from September 29 to October 1, 2010, a United Nations report issued that year called on Belgium to ensure that police, when using force, follow the United Nations Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials and that arrests are carried out in legitimate fashion.<sup id="cite_ref-daccess-dds-ny.un.org_14-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-daccess-dds-ny.un.org-14"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>14<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Defendants have the right to a fair trial, to a presumption of innocence, to counsel (at public expense if they cannot afford it), and to appeal.<sup id="cite_ref-United_States_Department_of_State_11-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-United_States_Department_of_State-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> A Council of Europe report issued in 2005 expressed concern about “the lack of fundamental safeguards” in Belgium “against ill-treatment in police custody.” It was recommended that Belgium adopt legislation to improve the situation, “especially to ensure the detainees’ right of access to a lawyer.”<sup id="cite_ref-Belgium_19-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Belgium-19"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>19<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The Council of Europe has also complained about the “excessive length” of certain judicial proceedings in Belgium.<sup id="cite_ref-29" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-29"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>29<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In 2009 the ECHR “found five violations of the right to a fair trial, two violations for the length of proceedings, one violation of the right to liberty and safety, one violation for the absence of effective inquiry and one violation for <a href="/wiki/Inhuman_or_degrading_treatment" class="mw-redirect" title="Inhuman or degrading treatment">inhuman and degrading treatment</a> as provided under the European Convention on Human Rights.” In June 2008 the human rights commissioner of the Council of Europe (CE) issued a report noting that 75 percent of all prisons in the country were overcrowded. A United Nations human-rights report issued in 2010 called on Belgium to “improve prison conditions and, in particular, to address overcrowding.” There is also violence among prisoners, and some prisons are rundown. There is a federal mediator who acts as an ombudsman in regard to prison conditions. Inmates have the right to correspond, to have phone conversations, to receive visitors, and to practice their religion. Monitoring visits by human-rights groups are permitted. The Council of Europe's Council for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) has cited allegations of mistreatment of prisoners by guards at the Ittre Prison; in 2009 an inmate at the Jamioulx Prison allegedly was killed by three guards.<sup id="cite_ref-United_States_Department_of_State_11-7" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-United_States_Department_of_State-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-daccess-dds-ny.un.org_14-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-daccess-dds-ny.un.org-14"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>14<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="See_also">See also</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Human_rights_in_Belgium&action=edit&section=11" title="Edit section: See also"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Internet_in_Belgium#Internet_censorship" title="Internet in Belgium">Internet censorship in Belgium</a></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Human_rights_in_Belgium&action=edit&section=12" title="Edit section: References"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist reflist-columns references-column-width" style="column-width: 32em ;"> <ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-2008_US_Report-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-2008_US_Report_1-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output 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Retrieved <span class="nowrap">December 13,</span> 2012</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=New+Europe+online&rft.atitle=Abused+migrant+women+protection+gap+in+Belgium&rft.aulast=Gaydashievah&rft.aufirst=Stanislava&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.neurope.eu%2Farticle%2Fbelgium-urged-address-protection-gaps-abused-migrant-women&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AHuman+rights+in+Belgium" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Belgium-19"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Belgium_19-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Belgium_19-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/country,,IHF,,BEL,,469399b40,0.html">"Belgium"</a>. <i>IHF Report 2007</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">December 14,</span> 2012</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=IHF+Report+2007&rft.atitle=Belgium&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.unhcr.org%2Frefworld%2Fcountry%2C%2CIHF%2C%2CBEL%2C%2C469399b40%2C0.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AHuman+rights+in+Belgium" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-20"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-20">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205402280_text">"Belgium: International Human Rights Organization to File Complaint over Treatment of Roma"</a>. <i>UNHCR</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">December 13,</span> 2012</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=UNHCR&rft.atitle=Belgium%3A+International+Human+Rights+Organization+to+File+Complaint+over+Treatment+of+Roma&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.loc.gov%2Flawweb%2Fservlet%2Flloc_news%3Fdisp3_l205402280_text&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AHuman+rights+in+Belgium" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-21"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-21">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.gaylawnet.com/ezine/crime/ilga_2008.pdf">"State-sponsored Homophobia"</a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span>. <i>International Lesbian and Gay Association</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">December 14,</span> 2012</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=International+Lesbian+and+Gay+Association&rft.atitle=State-sponsored+Homophobia&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gaylawnet.com%2Fezine%2Fcrime%2Filga_2008.pdf&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AHuman+rights+in+Belgium" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-22"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-22">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.ilga-europe.org/home/guide/country_by_country/belgium/belgian_same_sex_marriage_law">"Belgian same-sex marriage law"</a>. <i>ILGA Europe</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">December 14,</span> 2012</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=ILGA+Europe&rft.atitle=Belgian+same-sex+marriage+law&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ilga-europe.org%2Fhome%2Fguide%2Fcountry_by_country%2Fbelgium%2Fbelgian_same_sex_marriage_law&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AHuman+rights+in+Belgium" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-23"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-23">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.buddybuddy.com/mar-belg.html">"Belgium offers legal marriage"</a>. <i>Partners Task Force for Gay & Lesbian Couples</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">December 14,</span> 2012</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Partners+Task+Force+for+Gay+%26+Lesbian+Couples&rft.atitle=Belgium+offers+legal+marriage&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.buddybuddy.com%2Fmar-belg.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AHuman+rights+in+Belgium" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-24"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-24">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4929604.stm">"Belgium passes gay adoption law"</a>. <i>BBC News</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">December 14,</span> 2012</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=BBC+News&rft.atitle=Belgium+passes+gay+adoption+law&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.bbc.co.uk%2F2%2Fhi%2Feurope%2F4929604.stm&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AHuman+rights+in+Belgium" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-25"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-25">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.gaysurrogacy.net/gay_surrogacy_laws_world_countries">"Gay surrogacy laws by country"</a>. <i>Gay Surrogacy.net</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">December 14,</span> 2012</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Gay+Surrogacy.net&rft.atitle=Gay+surrogacy+laws+by+country&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gaysurrogacy.net%2Fgay_surrogacy_laws_world_countries&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AHuman+rights+in+Belgium" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-26"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-26">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFSmet" class="citation web cs1">Smet, Stijn. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://strasbourgobservers.com/2011/09/20/blood-donations-and-the-permanent-exclusion-of-%E2%80%9Cmen-who-have-sex-with-men%E2%80%9D/">"Blood Donations and the Permanent Exclusion of "Men Who Have Sex with Men"<span class="cs1-kern-right"></span>"</a>. <i>Strasbourg Observers</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">December 14,</span> 2012</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Strasbourg+Observers&rft.atitle=Blood+Donations+and+the+Permanent+Exclusion+of+%22Men+Who+Have+Sex+with+Men%22&rft.aulast=Smet&rft.aufirst=Stijn&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fstrasbourgobservers.com%2F2011%2F09%2F20%2Fblood-donations-and-the-permanent-exclusion-of-%25E2%2580%259Cmen-who-have-sex-with-men%25E2%2580%259D%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AHuman+rights+in+Belgium" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-27"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-27">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2011/12/belgium-selects-worlds-second-openly-gay-leader/">"Belgium selects world's second openly gay leader"</a>. <i>World News</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">December 14,</span> 2012</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=World+News&rft.atitle=Belgium+selects+world%27s+second+openly+gay+leader&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lgbtqnation.com%2F2011%2F12%2Fbelgium-selects-worlds-second-openly-gay-leader%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AHuman+rights+in+Belgium" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-28"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-28">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G10/467/12/PDF/G1046712.pdf?OpenElement">"Official Documents System of the United Nations"</a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">December 15,</span> 2012</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Official+Documents+System+of+the+United+Nations&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fdaccess-dds-ny.un.org%2Fdoc%2FUNDOC%2FGEN%2FG10%2F467%2F12%2FPDF%2FG1046712.pdf%3FOpenElement&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AHuman+rights+in+Belgium" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-29"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-29">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://wcd.coe.int/ViewDoc.jsp?Ref=CommDH%282009%2914&Language=lanEnglish&Ver=original&Site=CommDH&BackColorInternet=FEC65B&BackColorIntranet=FEC65B&BackColorLogged=FFC679">"Report by the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Thomas Hammarberg, on his visit to Belgium 15-19 December 2008, for the attention of the Committee of Ministers and the Parliamentary Assembly"</a>. <i>Council of Europe</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">December 15,</span> 2012</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Council+of+Europe&rft.atitle=Report+by+the+Council+of+Europe+Commissioner+for+Human+Rights%2C+Thomas+Hammarberg%2C+on+his+visit+to+Belgium+15-19+December+2008%2C+for+the+attention+of+the+Committee+of+Ministers+and+the+Parliamentary+Assembly&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwcd.coe.int%2FViewDoc.jsp%3FRef%3DCommDH%25282009%252914%26Language%3DlanEnglish%26Ver%3Doriginal%26Site%3DCommDH%26BackColorInternet%3DFEC65B%26BackColorIntranet%3DFEC65B%26BackColorLogged%3DFFC679&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AHuman+rights+in+Belgium" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> </ol></div> <div class="navbox-styles"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1236075235">.mw-parser-output .navbox{box-sizing:border-box;border:1px solid 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title="Belgian overseas colonies">Empire</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Belgium_in_World_War_I" title="Belgium in World War I">World War I</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/German_invasion_of_Belgium_(1914)" title="German invasion of Belgium (1914)">invasion</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/German_occupation_of_Belgium_during_World_War_I" title="German occupation of Belgium during World War I">occupation</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Belgium_in_World_War_II" title="Belgium in World War II">World War II</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/German_invasion_of_Belgium_(1940)" title="German invasion of Belgium (1940)">invasion</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/German_occupation_of_Belgium_during_World_War_II" title="German occupation of Belgium during World War II">occupation</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Belgian_Royal_Question" class="mw-redirect" title="Belgian Royal Question">Royal Question</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Congo_Crisis" title="Congo Crisis">Congo Crisis</a></li> <li><a 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Belgium">Mountains</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_rivers_of_Belgium" title="List of rivers of Belgium">Rivers</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Communities,_regions_and_language_areas_of_Belgium" class="mw-redirect" title="Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium">Subdivisions</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Politics_of_Belgium" title="Politics of Belgium">Politics</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Constitution_of_Belgium" title="Constitution of Belgium">Constitution</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Elections_in_Belgium" title="Elections in Belgium">Elections</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Council_of_Ministers_(Belgium)" title="Council of Ministers (Belgium)">Executive</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Foreign_relations_of_Belgium" title="Foreign relations of Belgium">Foreign relations</a></li> <li><a class="mw-selflink selflink">Human rights</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/LGBT_rights_in_Belgium" class="mw-redirect" title="LGBT rights in Belgium">LGBT</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Law_of_Belgium" title="Law of Belgium">Law</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Law_enforcement_in_Belgium" title="Law enforcement in Belgium">enforcement</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Judiciary_of_Belgium" title="Judiciary of Belgium">Judiciary</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Belgian_Armed_Forces" title="Belgian Armed Forces">Military</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Monarchy_of_Belgium" title="Monarchy of Belgium">Monarchy</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Belgian_Federal_Parliament" title="Belgian Federal Parliament">Parliament</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Political_parties_in_Belgium" class="mw-redirect" title="Political parties in Belgium">Political parties</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Prime_Minister_of_Belgium" title="Prime Minister of Belgium">Prime Minister</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Belgium" title="Economy of Belgium">Economy</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/2008%E2%80%932009_Belgian_financial_crisis" title="2008–2009 Belgian financial crisis">2008–2009 financial crisis</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Banking_in_Belgium" title="Banking in Belgium">Banking</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/National_Bank_of_Belgium" title="National Bank of Belgium">Central bank</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Telecommunications_in_Belgium" title="Telecommunications in Belgium">Communications</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Energy_in_Belgium" title="Energy in Belgium">Energy</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tourism_in_Belgium" title="Tourism in Belgium">Tourism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_trade_unions_in_Belgium" title="List of trade unions in Belgium">Trade unions</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Transport_in_Belgium" title="Transport in Belgium">Transport</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Science_and_technology_in_Belgium" title="Science and technology in Belgium">Science and technology</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Category:Society_of_Belgium" title="Category:Society of Belgium">Society</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Abortion_in_Belgium" title="Abortion in Belgium">Abortion</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Crime_in_Belgium" title="Crime in Belgium">Crime</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Demographics_of_Belgium" title="Demographics of Belgium">Demographics</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Education_in_Belgium" title="Education in Belgium">Education</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Healthcare_in_Belgium" title="Healthcare in Belgium">Healthcare</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Orders,_decorations,_and_medals_of_Belgium" title="Orders, decorations, and medals of Belgium">Honours</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Irreligion_in_Belgium" title="Irreligion in Belgium">Irreligion</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Languages_of_Belgium" title="Languages of Belgium">Languages</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_Belgian_provinces_by_life_expectancy" title="List of Belgian provinces by life expectancy">Life expectancy</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Media_of_Belgium" class="mw-redirect" title="Media of Belgium">Media</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Belgians" title="Belgians">People</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Prostitution_in_Belgium" title="Prostitution in Belgium">Prostitution</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Religion_in_Belgium" title="Religion in Belgium">Religion</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;padding-left:0.5em;padding-right:0.5em;font-weight:normal;"><a href="/wiki/Culture_of_Belgium" title="Culture of Belgium">Culture</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Culture_of_Belgium#Architecture" title="Culture of Belgium">Architecture</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Art_of_Belgium" title="Art of Belgium">Art</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cinema_of_Belgium" title="Cinema of Belgium">Cinema</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Belgian_comics" title="Belgian comics">Comics</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Belgian_cuisine" title="Belgian cuisine">Cuisine</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Beer_in_Belgium" title="Beer in Belgium">Beer</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Belgian_wine" title="Belgian wine">wine</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Belgian_waffle" title="Belgian waffle">waffle</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Flag_of_Belgium" title="Flag of Belgium">Flag</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Belgian_literature" title="Belgian literature">Literature</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Music_of_Belgium" title="Music of Belgium">Music</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Public_holidays_in_Belgium" title="Public holidays in Belgium">Public holidays</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sport_in_Belgium" title="Sport in Belgium">Sport</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Television_in_Belgium" title="Television in Belgium">Television</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_World_Heritage_Sites_in_Belgium" title="List of World Heritage Sites in Belgium">World Heritage Sites</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><td class="navbox-abovebelow" colspan="2" style="font-weight:bold;"><div><div style="margin-bottom:-0.4em;"><ul><li><span class="nobold"><a href="/wiki/Outline_of_Belgium" title="Outline of Belgium">Outline</a></span></li><li><span class="nobold"><a href="/wiki/Index_of_Belgium-related_articles" title="Index of Belgium-related articles">Index</a></span></li></ul></div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Belgium" title="Category:Belgium">Category</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Portal:Belgium" title="Portal:Belgium">Portal</a></li></ul></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <div class="navbox-styles"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236075235"></div><div role="navigation" class="navbox" aria-labelledby="Human_rights_in_Europe" style="padding:3px"><table class="nowraplinks mw-collapsible autocollapse navbox-inner" style="border-spacing:0;background:transparent;color:inherit"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1239400231"><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:Human_rights_in_Europe" title="Template:Human rights in Europe"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Human_rights_in_Europe" title="Template talk:Human rights in Europe"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Human_rights_in_Europe" title="Special:EditPage/Template:Human rights in Europe"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div><div id="Human_rights_in_Europe" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em"><a href="/wiki/Human_rights_in_Europe" title="Human rights in Europe">Human rights in Europe </a></div></th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Sovereign states</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Human_rights_in_Albania" title="Human rights in Albania">Albania</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Human_rights_in_Andorra" title="Human rights in Andorra">Andorra</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Human_rights_in_Armenia" title="Human rights in Armenia">Armenia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Human_rights_in_Austria" title="Human rights in Austria">Austria</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Human_rights_in_Azerbaijan" title="Human rights in Azerbaijan">Azerbaijan</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Human_rights_in_Belarus" title="Human rights in Belarus">Belarus</a></li> <li><a class="mw-selflink selflink">Belgium</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Human_rights_in_Bosnia_and_Herzegovina" title="Human rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina">Bosnia and Herzegovina</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Human_rights_in_Bulgaria" title="Human rights in Bulgaria">Bulgaria</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Human_rights_in_Croatia" title="Human rights in Croatia">Croatia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Human_rights_in_Cyprus" title="Human rights in Cyprus">Cyprus</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Human_rights_in_the_Czech_Republic" title="Human rights in the Czech Republic">Czech Republic</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Human_rights_in_Denmark" title="Human rights in Denmark">Denmark</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Human_rights_in_Estonia" title="Human rights in Estonia">Estonia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Human_rights_in_Finland" title="Human rights in Finland">Finland</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Human_rights_in_France" title="Human rights in France">France</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Human_rights_in_Georgia_(country)" class="mw-redirect" title="Human rights in Georgia (country)">Georgia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Human_rights_in_Germany" title="Human rights in Germany">Germany</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Human_rights_in_Greece" title="Human rights in Greece">Greece</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Human_rights_in_Hungary" title="Human rights in Hungary">Hungary</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Human_rights_in_Iceland" title="Human rights in Iceland">Iceland</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Human_rights_in_the_Republic_of_Ireland" class="mw-redirect" title="Human rights in the Republic of Ireland">Ireland</a></li> <li class="mw-empty-elt"></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Human_rights_in_Italy" title="Human rights in Italy">Italy</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Human_rights_in_Kazakhstan" title="Human rights in Kazakhstan">Kazakhstan</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Human_rights_in_Latvia" title="Human rights in Latvia">Latvia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Human_rights_in_Liechtenstein" title="Human rights in Liechtenstein">Liechtenstein</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Human_rights_in_Lithuania" title="Human rights in Lithuania">Lithuania</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Human_rights_in_Luxembourg&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Human rights in Luxembourg (page does not exist)">Luxembourg</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Human_rights_in_Malta" title="Human rights in Malta">Malta</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Human_rights_in_Moldova" title="Human rights in Moldova">Moldova</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Human_rights_in_Monaco" title="Human rights in Monaco">Monaco</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Human_rights_in_Montenegro&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Human rights in Montenegro (page does not exist)">Montenegro</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Human_rights_in_the_Netherlands" title="Human rights in the Netherlands">Netherlands</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Human_rights_in_North_Macedonia" title="Human rights in North Macedonia">North Macedonia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Human_rights_in_Norway" title="Human rights in Norway">Norway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Human_rights_in_Poland" title="Human rights in Poland">Poland</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Human_rights_in_Portugal" title="Human rights in Portugal">Portugal</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Human_rights_in_Romania" title="Human rights in Romania">Romania</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Human_rights_in_Russia" title="Human rights in Russia">Russia</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Human_rights_in_San_Marino&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Human rights in San Marino (page does not exist)">San Marino</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Human_rights_in_Serbia" title="Human rights in Serbia">Serbia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Human_rights_in_Slovakia" title="Human rights in Slovakia">Slovakia</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Human_rights_in_Slovenia&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Human rights in Slovenia (page does not exist)">Slovenia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Human_rights_in_Spain" title="Human rights in Spain">Spain</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Human_rights_in_Sweden" title="Human rights in Sweden">Sweden</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Human_rights_in_Switzerland" title="Human rights in Switzerland">Switzerland</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Human_rights_in_Turkey" title="Human rights in Turkey">Turkey</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Human_rights_in_Ukraine" title="Human rights in Ukraine">Ukraine</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Human_rights_in_the_United_Kingdom" title="Human rights in the United Kingdom">United Kingdom</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">States with limited<br />recognition</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Human_rights_in_Abkhazia" title="Human rights in Abkhazia">Abkhazia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Human_rights_in_Kosovo" title="Human rights in Kosovo">Kosovo</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Human_rights_in_Northern_Cyprus" title="Human rights in Northern Cyprus">Northern Cyprus</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Human_rights_in_South_Ossetia" title="Human rights in South Ossetia">South Ossetia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Human_rights_in_Transnistria" title="Human rights in Transnistria">Transnistria</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p><span class="noviewer" typeof="mw:File"><span><img alt="Public Domain" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/6/62/PD-icon.svg/12px-PD-icon.svg.png" decoding="async" width="12" height="12" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/6/62/PD-icon.svg/18px-PD-icon.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/6/62/PD-icon.svg/24px-PD-icon.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="196" data-file-height="196" /></span></span> This article incorporates <a href="/wiki/Copyright_status_of_works_by_the_federal_government_of_the_United_States" title="Copyright 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