US Sikh group seeks Kamal Nath's prosecution in Belgium

Taking advantage of Kamal Nath's upcoming visit to Belgium to address the 5th EuroIndia Summit in Leuven next Thursday, Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) has approached the Belgian government to initiate his criminal prosecution, the group's attorney Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.

Belgian law provides for "extra territorial jurisdiction" to criminally prosecute individuals for crimes against humanity and genocide committed outside Belgium, he said. It also does not provide immunity to any heads of states or other dignitaries.

Under this law, criminal prosecution was initiated against former Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon, for his role in the 1982 Sabra-Shatila massacre in Lebanon, Pannun said.

In a letter to Belgian Prime Minister Yves Leterme, SFJ urged him to bar Nath's entry into Belgium saying "Nath's entry will become a black spot on Belgium's impeccable record of commitment to human rights."

SFJ also plans to hold a protest rally in Leuven Oct 13.

In April, SFJ had initiated civil proceedings against Kamal Nath in a US Federal Court in New York which issued summons to him.