80 Belgians to Sue Vatican, Church Over Sex Abuse

Suit comes days after Belgian Catholic Church agreed to pay victims
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Jun 2, 2011 1:59 PM CDT
Belgium: 80 to Sue Vatican, Catholic Church Over Sex Abuse
Pope Benedict XVI blesses the faithful during his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Wednesday, June 1, 2011.   (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Eighty people who say they were sexually abused by priests or monks plan to sue the Vatican as well as the country's Catholic church and its highest authorities, according to Belgian media. The announcement comes days after the Belgian church said it was willing to pay compensation to victims of sexual abuse by clergy. A prosecuting lawyer said, "All judicial means will be used to pursue flagrant violations of human rights, the rights of children and crimes against humanity." The reports were posted on newspaper websites late yesterday. They did not say when a suit would be filed. (More Vatican stories.)

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