# Criminal prosecutions in the Netherlands and Belgium > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/criminal-prosecutions-in-the-netherlands-and-belgium > Updated: 2026-10-20T14:43:47.000Z. Sources: 12. Developments: 2. Legal proceedings in the Netherlands and Belgium have addressed various violent and organized crimes. In the Netherlands, cases include the prosecution of individuals for online coercion involving self-harm, a premeditated assassination attempt in Zaandam, and stalking resulting in PTSD. Authorities also pursued charges against a woman for the death of her infant and apprehended numerous fugitives. Subsequent legal actions in the region involved the prosecution of a man for stealing copper from railway lines in Zwolle, which caused significant train traffic disruptions. Additionally, prosecutors sought a sentence for an individual accused of forming a criminal organization with a municipal enforcement officer to sell confidential license plate data. In Belgium, an appeals court issued reduced sentences for defendants involved in a 2023 kidnapping and torture case in Brussels. ## Timeline ### 2026-10-20: Legal proceedings in Netherlands and Belgium involve theft and violence Legal developments in the Netherlands and Belgium include a request for three years in prison for railway copper theft, a six-year demand for a data trafficking scheme, and reduced sentences in a Belgian tortue 6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/legal-proceedings-in-netherlands-and-belgium-involve-theft-and-violence ### 2026-10-04: Netherlands criminal cases involve online coercion and attempted assassination Dutch authorities are pursuing multiple criminal cases, including a 20-year-old accused of online coercion and self-harm, an attempted assassination in Zaandam, and various stalking and homicide charges. 7 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/zaandam-assassination-attempt-prosecutors-demand-18-years --- Cite as: Criminal prosecutions in the Netherlands and Belgium. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/criminal-prosecutions-in-the-netherlands-and-belgium