Brussels court to decide on police prosecution in Sourour Abouda death

A Brussels investigative chamber is set to decide on January 15 whether to refer the Brussels-Capital/Ixelles police zone and two officers to a criminal court regarding the death of Sourour Abouda. Abouda died on January 12, 2023, while in a cell at the Royal Administrative Center following an arrest in Ixelles. While police initially suggested suicide, investigators have ruled out self-inflicted death.

The prosecution is seeking to refer the two officers involved in the initial arrest to the correctional court for involuntary manslaughter. The family of Abouda and the 'Justice pour Sourour' committee have requested that six additional officers involved in the encounter also be included in the proceedings, though they are not currently named in the prosecution's referral.

In addition to seeking legal accountability, the family and the committee are in discussions with the City of Brussels to erect a commemorative stele on the Panorama Brussels-Congress esplanade. They aim to create a public space for remembrance near the site where she died.