Philippe Servaty

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Philippe Servaty is a Belgian journalist who formerly worked for Brussels-based newspaper Le Soir.[1] While in Morocco from 2002–05, he engaged in sex with over 80 women, promising to take them to Belgium.[2] Before leaving for Belgium, he asked them for sexual photos as souvenirs, and photographed them in poses that could be seen as degrading.[2][3] After returning to Belgium, he published the photos on the internet under the pseudonym Belguel, including anti-Islamic captions such as, “there is no better drug than to ejaculate on the veiled face of a woman”.[2][1][4]

At least one of the women filed a complaint to the police in Morocco, after a CD-ROM of the pictures began circulating in marketplaces in Agadir.[2] The police arrested her, as well as many of the other women pictured, as posing for pornographic photos is a crime in Morocco.[2][5][6] At least two of the women attempted suicide while in prison, and several have disappeared, either in hiding or murdered by their families in honor killings.[2][5] Moroccan authorities asked Belgium to press charges against Servaty.[2] Belgium declined, as the photos are not illegal under Belgian law.[2][5] He may face charges for making anti-Islamic statements, though, a crime under Belgian and European Union laws.[2] Additionally, Moroccan authorities have stated that he will be arrested if he returns to Morocco; he had previously been arrested there for possession of pornography. Due to the scandal, Servaty resigned from Le Soir.[3][1]

Families of the photographed women have placed a bounty on his head, and both he and his wife received death threats.[2] Servaty was forced into hiding in fear for his life.[1][4] Servarty said in an interview that he was a sex addict and apologized for his actions.[4]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d (French) Scandale porno d’Agadir, Karim Boukhari, TelQuel #180. Retrieved on 2007-02-02
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j (English) Avenging Muslims Seek to Kill Belgian Journalist, Paul Belien, The Brussels Journal, 2005-07-13. Retrieved on 2007-02-02
  3. ^ a b (English) 'Le Soir' paper 'extremely shocked' to be associated in ethical scandal in Morocco, ArabicNews.com, 2005-06-13. Retrieved on 2007-02-02
  4. ^ a b c (Dutch) De slachtoffers van Servaty, Bart Schut, Knack. Retrieved on 2007-02-02
  5. ^ a b c (Dutch) Ze zijn zo naïef, meneer, Bénédicte Vaes, De Standaard, 2005-07-02. Retrieved on 2007-02-02
  6. ^ Agadir scandal Belgian MPs urge King to pardon victims, Morocco Times, (Jul 15, 2005).