(Brussels) The Belgian artist and choreographer Jan Fabre, sentenced in April to an 18-month suspended prison sentence for acts of harassment at work and an indecent assault, announced on Monday that he was not appealing in order not to “to rekindle the controversy”.
Posted at 4:07 p.m.
The Antwerp public prosecutor’s office confirmed that his conviction was final. “Neither the parties nor the public prosecutor have appealed,” he told AFP.
Caught up in 2018 by the #metoo wave, Jan Fabre, 63, one of the best-known figures in contemporary art in Europe, has always disputed the facts which led to his being sentenced on April 29 by the court. correctional center of Antwerp.
He had one month to appeal but “has now decided to accept the court’s conviction, even if the judgment pronounced affects him greatly,” his lawyer Eline Tritsmans wrote in a statement on Monday.
“An appeal procedure would revive all the controversy […]. The case has already dragged on far too long, and the damage to his reputation is irrevocable,” she continued.
Targeted by the complaints of twelve former dancers of his Troubleyn company, Jan Fabre was tried at the end of March at the beginning of April for “violence, harassment or sexual harassment at work”, as well as for “indecent assault” (the equivalent of sexual assault under Belgian law) against one of the complainants. A three-year prison sentence was requested against him.
Ultimately, the court ruled that part of the facts were time-barred, upheld the alleged indecent assault — namely a non-consensual kiss with the tongue — and also condemned him for violence or humiliation suffered by five other dancers.
The 18-month prison sentence was accompanied by a suspension of execution for a period of five years, during which time Jan Fabre is deprived of his civic rights.
On Monday, Jan Fabre maintained there was “mutual consent” regarding the kiss.
Through the voice of his lawyer, he also criticized the court for having “interfered in the field of (his) artistic freedom” concerning the remarks and directives considered inappropriate, even humiliating.
“He never intended to hurt the actors or dancers. He nevertheless recognizes that some of his remarks may have been vexing, ”underlines the press release. Absent at his trial, Jan Fabre had nevertheless “apologized” via a letter read to the court, recalls Me Tritsmans.
For their part, the dancers who were civil parties to the trial once again said they were satisfied that the court judgment recognized “the transgressive behavior” of Jan Fabre, and “a pattern that was repeated” several times.