Some good news, if you're in Belgium

[John P]

Translation by Google with fixups by me.

Acquittal for Paul Depré, organizer of "randonnues"

Nadia Lallemant Published on Tuesday, December 8th, 2015 at 4:14 p.m. - Updated Tuesday, December 8th, 2015 at 4:14 p.m.

Namur-Luxembourg

The Liège Court of Appeal reversed the judgment rendered in December 2014 by the Arlon court.

The Liège Court of Appeal has just rendered its judgment in the case of Paul Depré, the organizer of naturist walks, sentenced in December 2014 by the Criminal Court of Arlon to six months in prison for insulting public good morals.

The man from Florenville was acquitted of all charges. An accusation regarding the "randonnue" organized in the woods of Florenville 10 July 2011, during which naturists had met a family with three children, is, according to the Court, not sustained "in the absence of excess in the shameless practice, the precautions taken to avoid confrontation with the public and the absence of disturbances generated in the social life of the region."

There was an acquittal also for photos and videos taken between July 2009 and March 2010 in the town of Arlon where women had laid bare in daylight in front of stores, on the church square and near the old courthouse. These actions were called "outrageous" by Arlon Criminal Court. The Court of Appeal noted, for its part, "that the incriminating photos and films do not represent acts of copulation, perverse sexual practices, in pairs or groups, scenes of sexual violence, bestiality or sadomasochism and the images are aimed at an informed and consenting audience.”

The judgment states, moreover, that "the criminal file does not show that anyone was forced to look if they were unwilling" and, to that extent, the Court considers that "there is no affront to public morality ".

So these two charges are not sustained. For Paul Depré there is relief. "I am relieved not to have this sword of Damocles over my head," he said. "This judgment will hopefully be a precedent, for questions involving naturism." The president of NaturLux will restart naturist walks in the month of March 2016.

Original article:
http://www.dhnet.be/regions/namur-luxembourg/acquittement-pour-paul-depre-l-organisateur-des-randonnues-5666f39f35708494c95d9058

[jbeegoode]

Woohoo! The photo shows healthy looking people and a balance of females.
Jbee

[John P]

I don't know for sure, but it's possible that the photo JBG refers to was actually a stock image, and nothing to do with the group that's mentioned in the article.

I may as well post this second item in this thread too. Strictly speaking, it isn't free-range naturism because it's about a man who likes to work repairing roofs naked rather than roam the woods and mountains, but it's in Belgium again. I got the original for both of these items from the website of the French naturist group APNEL. No, I'm not bilingual, but I remember enough high school French to get the sense of what that site says, and there's always Google Translate.

BRUSSELS

The behavior of Vincent Vanderlinden, a roofer by profession, has been challenged by the courts. Prosecutors in Halle-Vilvoorde demand a two years suspended sentence against the naturist for acts of gross indecency because he works and leaves the house naked. The accused responds vigorously in court.

Vincent Vanderlinden is a convinced naturist. "I like to feel the sun on my skin. I do nothing wrong in loving this," he says. "Nudity is nothing aggressive or provocative," he defends himself before the judge.

Nude in good or bad weather
Because for him it's enjoyable to frolic in Adam's clothing, his neighbors could see him ride a bike naked in the neighborhood on a beautiful morning in June this year. But it's not just the sun that pushes Vincent Vanderlinden to wave his private parts in the fresh air. In February 2008, according to prosecutors, the man who then resided in Brussels did not hesitate to make himself naked in the courtyard in front of his house. It's difficult to speak of heat that day, where the temperature was close to 2 degrees Celsius.

"It's a lifestyle. I do not do it to provoke people," he said in his defense. Yet his behavior hurts the taboos of many people. For proof, between 2007 and 2014, the defendant has been the subject of numerous complaints, particularly because he practices his craft - roofing - in the nude. Again, the man from Hoeilaart does not understand that he bothered anyone. "I warn my clients in advance and sometimes I still wear a small loincloth. In locations where I work naked, I protect places with screens, so that nobody would see me in the street," he argues.

Prosecutors in Halle-Vilvoorde are not persuaded by these assertions and demand a prison sentence of two years suspended. "He is a fervent nudist, but forgets that he may be disturbing others. Even children have seen him at work in his 'outfit'. There's no problem with nudity as long as it does not occur in public places", argued the state representative.

Put yourself in the place of the "victim"? No way
The prosecution is also disturbed by the attitude of the accused with the police, when they went to visit him after complaints from neighbors. "He was so arrogant and provocative towards the officers," the outraged prosecutor requested probation measures, including a program that will allow him to understand his "victims". "This will finally make him think of others, not just himself," the prosecutor suggested.

Vanderlinden refuses this training: "It's absurd, I have done no harm to anyone by going out naked. Nudity is everywhere, especially in the media. But I'm the one being threatened with this penalty? I believe I'm not a danger to society and so I do not need this therapy," railed the roofer.

He also claims that all complaints brought against him emanate from a single person, a [female] neighbor. "The rest of my neighborhood has no problem with my lifestyle." Another point that's incomprehensible for the naturist: his appearance at Brussels courthouse. "I've been a nudist for 15 years and member of various clubs and associations. Every year I participate in Cyclonudista in Brussels and this has never been a problem", he says with surprise.

Belgium prudish
The defendant considers that Belgium is too strict in this area and in other countries, the case would never have been brought so far. "In many European countries, walking naked is not even wrong. It's just a lifestyle, as in Scandinavia and Spain where it is acceptable." To appear before the judge, however, the accused took the trouble to dress. "I gave you this privilege, indeed," joked the nudist. The verdict is expected two days before Christmas.

http://www.7sur7.be/7s7/fr/3007/Bruxelles/article/detail/2522713/2015/11/13/Le-toiturier-naturiste-risque-deux-ans-de-prison.dhtml

[Greenbare Woods]

Vanderlinden refuses this training: "It's absurd, I have done no harm to anyone by going out naked. Nudity is everywhere, especially in the media.

That is true.  Nobody has ever suffered any actual harm from seeing another member of his or her own species.  Not adults, and not children.    The cries and fake outrage are ridiculous nonsense aimed at controlling the public and shaming OUR bodies. 

I hope the appeals court also tosses this one out.

[jbeegoode]

I wonder how he would be judged by a group of his peers?

John P, I did consider that that was a stock photo, but there were many others that were obviously not, so I figure that odds are that there would be no need to make this one out of stock. Could be, maybe not. It was presented as such, and is good naturist's PR. Thanks for the translation.
Jbee

[nuduke]

Just returning to the judge's verdict in acquitting the Randonnues guy: Very encouraging to feel that the jusdge did seem to have a sense of proportion.  People doing nothing incriminating whilst coincidentally nude are not guilty of anything incriminating.  Quite a jump of open mindedness from the usual prejudice, bigotry, error and lack of grit shown in verdicts and statements from the bench in most of the other nude cases that we have discussed.

Now then, pardoning myself for lack of skill in french idiom,  - is this the same randonnues as JMF is involved in?  Or is the term just a word in French.  Google translate gives randonué as 'naked hiking' and randonné as 'hiking' so I'm assuming no connection.  Are you there, JMF to help us?

John

[JOhnGw]

My understanding is that in this context it is just the usual French word for naked walking.

[John P]

Yes, randonue or randonnue (spelling isn't consistent) is a word that's used in the French-speaking press, so I assume it's recognizable to a lot of people. It's not associated with any one person or group.