A 30-year-old Afghan national residing in Merksem is facing a possible one-year suspended prison sentence after admitting to inappropriate contact with a 14-year-old girl at a swimming pool in Lier, Belgium.
The incident occurred on Aug. 13, 2023, at the Lago De Waterperels swimming complex in the province of Antwerp.
According to reports from Belgian outlet 7Sur7, the man, identified by his initials Z.A., first collided with the girl while using a water slide. He then allegedly touched her underwater. He has not denied the allegations.
The public prosecutor’s office described the offense as serious and has requested a one-year prison sentence, to be fully suspended. The court has yet to issue its final ruling, which is expected on June 5.
During the hearing, Z.A.’s lawyer, Naweed Ahmadzadah, asked the court to consider a lenient approach, citing his client’s personal history and the possible consequences of a conviction. “A conviction could ruin his future,” Ahmadzadah said. “My client fled the Taliban because he was part of a minority. He has experienced many hardships during his journey, but also in Afghanistan, where he was targeted. That is why he was recognized as a refugee here.”
The lawyer also emphasized cultural factors, arguing that Z.A. had limited interaction with women in his home country and had never been to a mixed-gender swimming facility before. “There, he never lived with women, let alone frequented mixed swimming pools. He had very little contact with other women, except his own,” he said.
Ahmadzadah further warned that a conviction could endanger Z.A.’s refugee status and family life in Belgium. “Not only is his wife unaware of this and would leave him if she found out, but a conviction would also call into question his status in Belgium. He could not be sent back to Afghanistan, but would risk having to wander in Europe,” he added.
The defense has asked the court to grant a probationary suspension of the sentence, meaning no criminal record would be imposed if Z.A. complies with court-imposed conditions.
The case is the latest example of criminal behavior at public swimming facilities in Europe involving asylum seekers and migrants. Several high-profile incidents over the past two years have raised concerns about safety, integration, and cultural clashes.
In one case in the Netherlands in February 2023, a Syrian asylum seeker was found guilty of sexually assaulting four 11-year-old girls at a Center Parcs holiday resort swimming pool in Zandvoort. Despite a total of 10 complaints from young girls and women, the man received just 60 hours of community service. His defense argued that the behavior was not sexually motivated and claimed he was homosexual — a strategy that has reportedly become more common among asylum seekers seeking legal protections.
Dutch politician Geert Wilders, leader of the right-wing Party for Freedom (PVV), reacted to the Zandvoort case on social media by calling for the deportation of asylum seekers involved in such crimes. “If that is not a reason to immediately throw an asylum seeker out of the country, then our country is lost. Get rid of these kinds of people,” he wrote.
In May 2023, an Afghan migrant in Strasbourg, France, was indicted for the alleged rape of a disabled 15-year-old girl and the sexual assault of two other minors at a public pool, while in Berlin, public pool employees wrote to local newspapers describing a pattern of harassment and violence, primarily involving Arab and Chechen youths. These included mass brawls, sexual harassment, and unsanitary behavior, leading to temporary closures of several pool complexes during the summer of 2023.
Authorities in Berlin responded by introducing security measures such as mandatory ID checks, surveillance cameras, bag inspections, and a smartphone app that allows bathers to discreetly call for help during emergencies.
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