Perhaps you remember the upheaval about the sudden closure of the decades old nude beach in Delft, the Netherlands. Yesterday there was a verdict on the case, and it was in favour of the nudists on trial.
Here is the official, Dutch verdict on the Dutch justice site. I’ll translate it for those who can’t read Dutch:
Acquittal of forbidden nudity in Delft
The Hague , 11th of July 2014
On the 11th of July 2014 the Court of The Hague has acquitted eight suspects of sixteen cases of forbidden nude recreation.
The city of Delft has closed the nude beach in the nature and recreational area of Delftse Hout on the 18th of April 2013. The eight suspects have spent time on the beach undressed after that date, and for that they received fines.
The law states that unclothed recreation is not permitted in public places that aren’t suitable for that. The suspects have said that it’s not clear what the law-maker means with that. The Court of The Hague states that the law should be interpreted in a way that nude recreation is not permitted in public places that are evidently not suited for that. In the cases of the eight suspects there is insufficient evidence, and therefore they have been acquitted.
The Public Prosecutor had asked the court to provide maintainable rules concerning nude recreation. The court said to that: “It is not for a judge to make clear laws or to clarify laws. That is explicitly a task of the law-maker.”
Thank you for posting this Paul. Too bad we don’t have judges like this one in the US.