Dutch presenter to be prosecuted over rape accusations

The Public Prosecution Service must prosecute writer, presenter and program maker Jelle Brandt Corstius for his allegations against TV producer Gijs van Dam, the Court of Appeal ruled on Tuesday in an Article 12 procedure Van Dam had filed, NOS reports.

In 2017 Brandt Corstius accused Van Dam of raping him in newspaper Trouw and on television program De Wereld Draait Door. He did not mention Van Dam by name, but Dutch media quickly identified him. Van Dam also denied the accusations in a television interview.

Brandt Corstius filed charges of rape against Van Dam, and Van Dam pressed charges of defamation and slander against Brandt Corstius. The Prosecutor decided not to prosecute, but Van Dam appealed against that decision and filed a so-called Article 12 procedure, with which the court can force the Prosecutor to prosecute. Van Dam also again pressed charges against Brandt Corstius, because after the Prosecutor's decision he said in a press statement that he did not regret telling his story.

On Tuesday the Court of Appeal ruled that Brandt Corstius may be guilty of defamation, because he made his accusations more than once in national media. This also involved accusations of a serious crime. The Public Prosecution Service must therefore prosecute him. It is then up to a court to decide whether he committed any criminal offenses.

Brandt Corstius' lawyer Nico Meijering told NOS that he regrets that this case is being opened again. According to the lawyer, it was demonstrably never Brandt Corstius' intention to make Van Dam's name public - the producer chose to go public himself.

Brandt Corstius said in a written statement that there are only losers in this case. "This case is only going to cause trouble for both parties involved and their loved ones."