Natural News reports a shocking case of free speech suppression in Belgium. Dries Van Langenhove, a national activist and former member of parliament (MP), has been sentenced to one year in prison for sharing a meme that some found offensive. This is an alarming example of the growing trend towards censorship and the stifling of conservative voices.
The meme was shared in a private group known for its controversial content. Van Langenhove’s punishment doesn’t stop at imprisonment; he also faces a hefty 16,000 euro fine and ten years of “deprived civil rights,” effectively barring him from political participation for the next decade.
Keith Woods took to Twitter to express his outrage over this blatant disregard for freedom of speech. He pointed out that Van Langenhove was merely part of a private chat where these memes were shared, calling it an “absolute disgrace.”
Tech mogul Elon Musk also drew attention to this case, retweeting posts from Van Langenhove himself showcasing the “shocking memes” that led to his imprisonment.
In response to Musk’s query about his sentence, Van Langenhove confirmed that despite not sending any of these memes himself, he was punished because he didn’t do enough to prevent others from sharing them. The judge labeled these memes as ‘hatespeech,’ which is punishable in Belgium.
(Related: Earlier this year, Israel bombed a Belgian relief agency in Gaza as retaliation for the entity funding United Nations [UN] relief efforts for Palestinian refugees.)
Van Langenhove, who founded Belgium’s largest and most influential political youth movement in 2017, insists that he committed no crimes by simply being a member of these private groups. He argues that the Justice Department’s witch hunt against him is just that: a witch hunt.
Despite the millions of euros spent on this years-long investigation, Van Langenhove maintains that he is being targeted for memes he didn’t even post himself. His lawyer plans to appeal the ruling, which suspends his imprisonment until further notice.
This case serves as a stark reminder of the growing threat to free speech and conservative voices worldwide. It underscores the importance of standing up against censorship and defending our fundamental rights.