For over a year people in Belgium have been experiencing strict limitations to their personal liberties. At the end of February, the Human Rights League took the Belgian State to court because the coronavirus measures had not been taken in a transparent democratic manner with parliamentary and public debates. On March 31, 2021, the court ruled that the measures were indeed insufficiently justified by law. The case focused on the criminal sanctions imposed for violating the rules.

Although the Belgian parliament will be examining a new “pandemic law” in the coming weeks, which would provide a permanent legal framework for future health crises, this is a step in the right direction, bringing much needed “sanity” into the situation.

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