Editing Marc Dutroux (section)

=== Sentencing ===
The [[Capital punishment in Belgium|death penalty]] was abolished in Belgium in 1996. The last execution for common-law crimes was in 1918. However, the majority of Belgians, at the time of the trial, would have supported Dutroux receiving the death penalty.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.volkskrant.nl/buitenland/niet-alle-vragen-over-marc-dutroux-zijn-beantwoord~a691596/|newspaper=Die Volkskrant|title=Niet alle vragen over Marc Dutroux zijn beantwoord|trans-title=Not all questions about Marc Dutroux are answered|first1=Bart|last1=Dirks|date=1 March 2004|access-date=19 December 2017|archive-date=24 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171024153806/https://www.volkskrant.nl/buitenland/niet-alle-vragen-over-marc-dutroux-zijn-beantwoord~a691596/|url-status=live}}</ref> On 22 June 2004, Dutroux received the maximum sentence of [[life imprisonment]], while Martin received 30 years and Lelièvre 25 years. The jury was asked to go back into seclusion to decide whether or not Nihoul was an accomplice.{{citation needed|date=April 2025}}

On 23 June, Dutroux lodged an appeal against his sentence.<ref>{{cite web|title=Belgium's Dutroux 'lodges appeal'|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3834499.stm|publisher=BBC News (BBC)|date=23 June 2004|access-date=18 December 2012|archive-date=4 July 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220704062532/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3834499.stm|url-status=live}}</ref>

Although Nihoul was [[acquittal|acquitted]] of [[kidnapping]] and [[Conspiracy (crime)|conspiracy]] charges, he was convicted on drug-related charges and was sentenced to five years' imprisonment. Nihoul was released in the spring of 2006. He resided in [[Zeebrugge]] until his death on 23 October 2019.<ref>{{Cite web |last=La |first=J. |date=2025-04-13 |title=Michel Nihoul est décédé |url=https://www.lalibre.be/belgique/societe/2019/10/23/michel-nihoul-est-decede-EXEC3KCHXFCJTFO456SNXAJUVA/ |access-date=2025-04-15 |website=La Libre.be |language=fr}}</ref>

On 19 August 2012, about 2,000 people in Brussels demonstrated against Martin's possible early release from prison. She has since been [[parole]]d, 16 years into her sentence,<ref>{{cite news|title=Belgians demand pedophile accomplice stays in jail |date=19 August 2012 |url=http://www.sacbee.com/2012/08/19/4739041/belgians-demand-pedophile-accomplice.html |work=Sacbee News }}{{dead link|date=June 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> and was released into the care of the [[Poor Clares]] in [[Malonne]]. She was given shelter, although she was not part of the community. The sisters have declared that they were not her guardian and shelter was given under the condition that she would not violate the conditions of her parole.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.ad.nl/buitenland/michelle-martin-onherkenbaar-veranderd~abff3872/|title=Michelle Martin onherkenbaar veranderd|trans-title=Michelle Martin irrecognisably changed|date=30 April 2014|newspaper=Algemeen Dagblad|access-date=19 December 2017|archive-date=24 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171024205316/https://www.ad.nl/buitenland/michelle-martin-onherkenbaar-veranderd~abff3872/|url-status=live}}</ref> As the convent has since been sold, she has had to find new shelter or go back to prison. A former judge has created an apartment in his converted farmhouse, where she now lives.<ref>[http://deredactie.be/cm/vrtnieuws/binnenland/2.31353 Article on the website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171024153355/http://deredactie.be/cm/vrtnieuws/binnenland/2.31353 |date=24 October 2017 }} of Belgian television and radiostation [[Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroeporganisatie|VRT]] (in Dutch): Michelle Martin moves to ex-judge</ref><ref>[https://brandpunt.kro-ncrv.nl/brandpunt/oud-rechter-neemt-ex-vrouw-dutroux-in-huis-ik-heb-ruimte-genoeg/ Website article relating to a Dutch TV program (in Dutch)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171024152920/https://brandpunt.kro-ncrv.nl/brandpunt/oud-rechter-neemt-ex-vrouw-dutroux-in-huis-ik-heb-ruimte-genoeg/ |date=24 October 2017 }}, TV program about the judge who has given Michelle Martin shelter in his converted farm</ref>

On 4 February 2013, Dutroux requested the court in Brussels for an early release from prison.<ref>{{cite web|title=Marc Dutroux: Child Killer Wants Early Release|url=http://news.sky.com/story/1047478/marc-dutroux-child-killer-wants-early-release|publisher=Sky News (BSkyB)|date=4 February 2013|access-date=18 February 2013|archive-date=8 February 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130208050058/http://news.sky.com/story/1047478/marc-dutroux-child-killer-wants-early-release|url-status=live}}</ref> He insisted that he was "no longer dangerous" and wanted to be released into [[house arrest]] with an electronic tag ([[Electronic tagging|ankle bracelet]]) placed upon him. On 18 February, the court denied his request.<ref>{{cite news|title=Belgium court denies Marc Dutroux release|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-21498535|work=BBC News|date=18 February 2013|access-date=18 February 2013|archive-date=18 February 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130218210149/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-21498535|url-status=live}}</ref> Dutroux is currently being held in solitary confinement in the prison of [[Nijvel|Nivelles]].<ref>{{cite news| trans-title= Marc Dutroux in court on 4 February to get ankle bracelet| title= Marc Dutroux op 4 februari voor strafuitvoeringsrechtbank voor enkelband| work= [[De Standaard]]| url= http://www.standaard.be/artikel/detail.aspx?artikelid=DMF20121227_00415128| date= 27 December 2012| access-date= 27 December 2012| archive-date= 18 September 2023| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20230918075351/https://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20121227_00415128| url-status= live}}</ref>

In October 2019, Dutroux won the pre-parole right to a psychiatric assessment,<ref>{{Cite web|date=28 October 2019|title=Belgian paedophile serial killer Dutroux wins pre-parole evaluation|url=https://www.rfi.fr/en/europe/20191028-belgian-paedophile-serial-killer-dutroux-wins-pre-parole-evaluation|access-date=15 August 2020|website=RFI|language=en|archive-date=11 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111232029/https://www.rfi.fr/en/europe/20191028-belgian-paedophile-serial-killer-dutroux-wins-pre-parole-evaluation|url-status=live}}</ref> which was supposed to take place in May 2020 but was delayed due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic in Belgium|COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=6 May 2020|title=Coronavirus delays infamous paedophile Marc Dutroux's pre-parole exam|url=https://www.brusselstimes.com/all-news/belgium-all-news/109873/coronavirus-delays-infamous-paedophile-marc-dutroux-pre-parole-exam/|access-date=15 August 2020|website=The Brussels Times|language=en|archive-date=28 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200528231643/https://www.brusselstimes.com/all-news/belgium-all-news/109873/coronavirus-delays-infamous-paedophile-marc-dutroux-pre-parole-exam/|url-status=live}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
! scope="col" | Name of suspect
! scope="col" | Profession
! scope="col" | Charged with
! scope="col" | Convicted of
! scope="col" | Sentence
! scope="col" | Release
|-
| Marc Dutroux
| Unemployed electrician, convicted child kidnapper and rapist
| Murder (of An and Eefje as well as Bernard Weinstein), rape, kidnapping (of six girls), conspiracy, drug offenses
| Murder (of An and Eefje as well as Bernard Weinstein), rape, kidnapping (of six girls), conspiracy, drug offenses
| Life in prison
| Eligible for early release after 30 years in 2021
|-
| Michelle Martin
| Housewife
| Kidnapping, murder of Julie and Mélissa
| Convicted of letting Julie and Mélissa starve to death and assisting in the kidnappings
| 30 years' imprisonment
| Released under conditions in 2012 after serving 16 of the 30 years<ref name="kriminalistika" />
|-
| Michel Nihoul
| Businessman
| Kidnapping, conspiracy, gang formation, document fraud, drug trafficking, car smuggling
| Acquitted of kidnapping, document fraud, trading of stolen vehicles<ref name="nytconvicted">{{cite news |last1=Smith |first1=Craig |title=Belgian Man Is Convicted Of Raping and Killing Girls |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/18/world/belgian-man-is-convicted-of-raping-and-killing-girls.html |website=[[The New York Times]] |date=18 June 2004 |access-date=9 November 2019 |archive-date=30 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191030202024/https://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/18/world/belgian-man-is-convicted-of-raping-and-killing-girls.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
| 5 years' imprisonment
| Was released early in May 2006 under conditions<ref name="brf">{{cite web |title=Michel Nihoul wird vorzeitig aus der Haft entlassen |url=https://brf.be/national/6134/ |website=brf.be |date=19 April 2006 |publisher=BRF |access-date=9 November 2019 |archive-date=9 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191109171844/https://brf.be/national/6134/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| Michel Lelièvre
| Drug addict and petty thief
| Kidnapping, rape, murder
| Kidnapping of An, Eefje, Sabine and Laetitia and rape
| 25 years' imprisonment
| Was released under conditions in October 2019<ref name="lesoirlelievre">{{cite web |title=L'avocate de Michel Lelièvre: "Il a mûri, il est prêt à réintégrer la société" |url=https://www.lesoir.be/250659/article/2019-10-01/lavocate-de-michel-lelievre-il-muri-il-est-pret-reintegrer-la-societe |website=lesoir.be |date=October 2019 |publisher=Le Soir |access-date=9 November 2019 |archive-date=9 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191109142658/https://www.lesoir.be/250659/article/2019-10-01/lavocate-de-michel-lelievre-il-muri-il-est-pret-reintegrer-la-societe |url-status=live }}</ref>
|}