Pedo group banned by Courts

Martijn, the association for pedophiles, will have to be dismantled. This decision was made following the advice of the general prosecutor on Friday morning. According to the Court, the association poses a danger of sexual contact with young children, which is a practice Martijn propagates and glorifies.

In the Netherlands, sexual contact between children and adults is considered a serious violation of bodily and sexual integrity of the child. The potential long-term psychiatric damage of the child must be prevented, the Court thinks. The ruling by the Court came after a consideration of both sides of the issue, including the right of association.

Even though this is part of the constitution, the Court finds that the association must be banned and dissolved "in this very particular case" and will do so "in the interest of the protection of the health and of the rights and freedoms of children."

Last year, the Court of Justice in Leeuwarden judged the actions and beliefs of Martijn to be contemptible, but did not find sufficient grounds to ban the association. The attorney general at the Supreme Court advised last month that Martij should be banned. His advice is taken over by the Court in most cases, as it has been now.

Martijn has been active since 1982, a time when pedophilia was arguably less controversial.