01/02/2016

Report on Demonstration in The Hague on 28 January 2016

A demonstration took place on Thursday 28 January 2016 in The Hague. About 900 colleagues gathered in front of the Peace Palace — the seat of the International Court of Justice — and walked peacefully from the nearby French Embassy to the German Embassy.

The mobilisation was very strong.  The demonstrators were joined by Dutch Members of Parliament Ms Sharon Gesthuizen and Mr John Kerstens, French Member of Parliament Mr Philip Cordery, and a delegation of FNV, the largest Dutch union.

The aim of the demo was:

  1. To express our support :
    • to the SUEPO-Munich officials whom Mr Battistelli has dismissed (Els Hardon and Ion Brumme) and severely downgraded (Malika Weaver);
    • to the SUEPO-The Hague officials Jesús Areso and Laurent Prunier who are targeted despite their health conditions.
  2. To remind Gemany, The Netherlands and France that they bear a particular responsibility. They are among the most influential EPO Member States. Benoît Battistelli and his closest associates are French officials. Germany and the Netherlands are host states, where the violations of Fundamental Rights are taking place.

Dutch Media have given extensive coverage. Among the various TV programs, NOS nieuwsuur stands out for the interview with Vice-President (DG 1) Willy Minnoye, who stated that the fact that only personnel guilty of misconduct is targeted, and that the fact that five (5) of the latest targets are all SUEPO officials is a pure coincidence.  He also announced that the EPO does not agree with learned judges of the Dutch Court of Appeal that violations of fundamental rights trump the Organisation’s immunity, and that if in cassation the Dutch Supreme Court (who held a hearing on 29 January 2016) were to agree with the Court of Appeal, the EPO would not obey the Supreme Court, either. See the whole reportage on nos.nl by clicking here (from 32’57’’).

Further TV reportages:

Web/Newspaper articles: