Vereniging Martijn

{{Short description|Dutch pro-pedophile organization (1982–2012)}}

{{Infobox organization

| name = Vereniging Martijn

| image = Logo of Vereniging MARTIJN.jpg

| formation = {{start date and age|1982}}

| founding_location = Hoogeveen, Netherlands

| dissolved = {{end date and age|2012|6|27|df=y}}

| purpose = To advocate the acceptance of pedophilia and legalization of sexual relationships between adults and children

| leader_name = Ad van den Berg

| website = {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110310114129/http://www.martijn.org/page.php?id=203000|date=10 March 2011|title=Official website}}

}}

Vereniging Martijn ({{IPA|nl|vəˈreːnəɣɪŋ mɑrˈtɛin}}; "Martijn Association"; stylized as MARTIJN) was a Dutch association that advocated the societal acceptance of pedophilia and legalization of sexual relationships between adults and children.

Establishment

The organization began in 1984. It claimed to fight for "the social and societal acceptance of child-adult relationships", emphasising what they called the "consent of both child and adult" and the "freedom for the child to withdraw from the relationship". It claimed to be in favour of "objective, scientifically verifiable truth and against political terror and discrimination."{{cite web|title=About MARTIJN|url=http://www.martijn.org/page.php?id=200000|publisher=Vereniging MARTIJN|access-date=23 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070805020515/http://www.martijn.org/page.php?id=200000|archive-date=5 August 2007|url-status=dead}}

''OK Magazine''

From 1986 until 2006, the group published OK Magazine, available only through the mail and not in shops, featuring essays, letters, interviews and photographs of scantily clad or naked children, mostly boys.{{cite news|url=http://www.nieuwsblad.be/Article/Detail.aspx?ref=hv&articleID=G3LEB5K9 |title=Subscription magazine for pedophiles |date=23 April 2005 |author=LEES OOK|publisher=nieuwsblad.be|language=nl|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141028112551/http://www.nieuwsblad.be/Article/Detail.aspx?ref=hv&articleID=G3LEB5K9|archive-date=28 October 2014 |url-status=dead}}

Opposition

File:Stopmartijnlogo.gif

MARTIJN was expelled from the International Lesbian and Gay Association in 1994. The group was seen as "widely reviled" though Dutch prosecutors initially formed the view that it could not be prosecuted.{{cite web |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/21/dutch-catholic-priest-pedophilia-endorsement_n_865124.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304231242/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/21/dutch-catholic-priest-pedophilia-endorsement_n_865124.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=4 March 2016 |title=Dutch Catholic Priest Pedophilia Endorsement Shocks Church |author=Toby Sterling |date=22 May 2011 |work=HuffPost|access-date=22 May 2011}}

In 2003, Vereniging MARTIJN faced opposition by the Actiecomité Stop MARTIJN (Action Committee Stop MARTIJN), which organized demonstrations against them. Formed and led by Michiel Smit of the New Right, Florens van der Kooi of the NNP, as well as Inge Bleecke of Moeders tegen Pedofilie (Mothers against Pedophilia),{{in lang|nl}} [http://www.katholieknederland.nl/soeterbeeck/archief/2004/detail_objectID602483.html Pedofielen: levenslang gestraft of een nieuwe kans? En is geluk maakbaar?] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131102202052/http://www.katholieknederland.nl/soeterbeeck/archief/2004/detail_objectID602483.html |date=2 November 2013 }}, RKK, 2 March 2004 the committee was labelled as extreme right by their opponents.{{cite web|title=Demonstratie Stop Martijn verhinderd door anti-fascisten|url=https://www.rijnmond.nl/nieuws/64041/Demonstratie-Stop-Martijn-verhinderd-door-anti-fascisten|website=RTV Rijnmond|access-date=28 May 2018|language=nl-NL|date=25 October 2003|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180529054308/https://www.rijnmond.nl/nieuws/64041/Demonstratie-Stop-Martijn-verhinderd-door-anti-fascisten|archive-date=29 May 2018|url-status=live}}

Photographs of Princess Amalia

The organization was in the news in October 2007 when it was learned that photographs of Princess Catharina-Amalia, daughter of Willem-Alexander, Prince of Orange and his wife Princess Maxima, were on display on the website's forum. The Prince went to court to request a €50,000 fine and the removal of the photos from the website.[http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2007/10/prince_furious_over_photos_on.php Prince furious with paedophile website] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071101082919/http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2007/10/prince_furious_over_photos_on.php |date=1 November 2007 }}. Dutchnews.nl (30 October 2007). The court agreed that the photos must be removed, and imposed a fine of €5,000 to be paid every time photos of children of the royal family are placed on the site again. The organisation had to pay €1,235 in costs.[http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2007/11/paedophile_site_must_remove_ro.php Paedophile site must remove royal photos] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071103134148/http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2007/11/paedophile_site_must_remove_ro.php |date=3 November 2007 }}. Dutchnews.nl (2 November 2007).[http://www.nos.nl/nosjournaal/artikelen/2007/11/1/011107_wamax.html NOS Journaal: Koninklijke familie wint kort geding] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071102003525/http://www.nos.nl/nosjournaal/artikelen/2007/11/1/011107_wamax.html |date=2 November 2007 }}. Nos.nl.Official publication [http://zoeken.rechtspraak.nl/resultpage.aspx?snelzoeken=true&searchtype=ljn&ljn=BB6926&u_ljn=BB6926 court ruling] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081009195247/http://zoeken.rechtspraak.nl/resultpage.aspx?snelzoeken=true&searchtype=ljn&ljn=BB6926&u_ljn=BB6926 |date=9 October 2008 }} (in Dutch) (or use [http://translate.google.nl/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fzoeken.rechtspraak.nl%2Fresultpage.aspx%3Fsnelzoeken%3Dtrue%26searchtype%3Dljn%26ljn%3DBB6926%26u_ljn%3DBB6926&sl=nl&tl=en&hl=nl&ie=UTF-8 this] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110725034356/http://translate.google.nl/translate?u=http:%2F%2Fzoeken.rechtspraak.nl%2Fresultpage.aspx%3Fsnelzoeken=true&searchtype=ljn&ljn=BB6926&u_ljn=BB6926&sl=nl&tl=en&hl=nl&ie=UTF-8 |date=25 July 2011 }} translation

Police investigations

File:Ad van den Berg.jpg

The home of the organization's president, Ad van den Berg, was raided by police in October 2010; downloads of illegal material had been traced back to Van den Berg's internet connection. It was announced in March 2011 that large quantities of child pornography were found among the confiscated material, and even more material, including computers, was confiscated when Van den Berg was arrested on 29 March.{{cite news|title=Voorzitter pedovereniging gearresteerd|url=http://www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/9395244/__Arrestatie_voorzitter_Martijn__.html?p=15,1|access-date=29 March 2011|newspaper=De Telegraaf|date=29 March 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110608052340/http://www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/9395244/__Arrestatie_voorzitter_Martijn__.html?p=15,1|archive-date=8 June 2011|url-status=dead}} In October 2018 he was convicted of possession of child pornography, and sentenced to three years imprisonment.

Suspects in the Amsterdam sex case, an investigation into the abuse of tens of children in Amsterdam kindergartens, were members of MARTIJN.{{cite news|url=http://www.nieuwsblad.be/article/detail.aspx?articleid=GMT33P05B|title=Robert M. gebruikte valse naam|work=Het Nieuwsblad|date=16 December 2010|language=nl|access-date=21 May 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101218075114/http://www.nieuwsblad.be/article/detail.aspx?articleid=GMT33P05B|archive-date=18 December 2010|url-status=live}}

Priests' involvement

On 20 May 2011, Herman Spronck, the head of the Dutch arm of the Salesian Catholic order, confirmed to RTL Nieuws that a priest under him had been on the board of MARTIJN until the Van den Berg raids. He added, "Of course we reject this and distance ourselves from this personal initiative." RTL obtained interviews both with Spronck and the priest (73-year-old "Father Van B.") in which the two defended adult-child sex as not always damaging.{{cite news|work=The Boston Globe|date=20 May 2011|title=Dutch priest belonged to pedophile club|url=http://www.boston.com/news/world/europe/articles/2011/05/20/dutch_priest_belonged_to_pedophile_club/|access-date=20 May 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120522053529/http://www.boston.com/news/world/europe/articles/2011/05/20/dutch_priest_belonged_to_pedophile_club/|archive-date=22 May 2012|url-status=live}} The priest concerned had prior convictions for child sexual abuse.{{cite news|title=Pater was bestuurslid van pedofielenvereniging Martijn|work=de Gelderlander|date=20 May 2011|url=http://www.gelderlander.nl/voorpagina/maasenwaal/8734742/Pater-was-bestuurslid-van-pedofielenvereniging-Martijn.ece|access-date=20 May 2011|language=nl}} The provincial for the Salesians, Jos Claes, opened disciplinary procedures against Spronck.{{Cite web|url=http://chiesapaesibassi.blogspot.com/2011/05/salesiani-prendono-misure-contro.html|title=Gli estremi confini: Salesiani prendono misure contro Spronck|date=23 May 2011|website=Gli estremi confini|access-date=2019-05-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190514073124/http://chiesapaesibassi.blogspot.com/2011/05/salesiani-prendono-misure-contro.html|archive-date=14 May 2019|url-status=live}}

Disbandment

On 18 June 2011, the Ministry of Security and Justice announced that the association's activities were not illegal. Crimes committed by its members could not be attributed to the association and as such the organisation could not be prosecuted, banned or disbanded.{{cite web|url=http://www.nu.nl/binnenland/2543044/justitie-kan-pedoclub-martijn-niet-verbieden.html|title=Justitie kan pedoclub Martijn niet verbieden|date=18 June 2011|work=NU.nl|access-date=18 June 2011|language=nl|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130524112033/http://www.nu.nl/binnenland/2543044/justitie-kan-pedoclub-martijn-niet-verbieden.html|archive-date=24 May 2013|url-status=live}}

On 27 June 2012, a Dutch court in Assen ruled that the group was illegal and ordered the group to cease activities and disband immediately. The judge stated that the group's actions and statements regarding sexual contact between adults and children were in conflict with the accepted norms and values of Dutch society. In his statement, the judge emphasised the overriding need to protect children.{{cite web |url=http://www.nu.nl/politiek/2845352/rechtbank-verbiedt-pedovereniging-martijn.html |title=Rechtbank verbiedt pedovereniging Martijn |date=27 June 2012 |work=NU.nl |access-date=27 June 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120629025956/http://www.nu.nl/politiek/2845352/rechtbank-verbiedt-pedovereniging-martijn.html |archive-date=29 June 2012 |url-status=live }} However, in April 2013, a higher court overturned this decision, upholding the Martijn club's right to freedom of association.{{cite news|author1=Judith Laanen|title=Pedofielenvereniging Martijn mag blijven bestaan, hof verwerpt verbod|url=http://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2013/04/02/pedovereniging-martijn-mag-blijven-bestaan-hof-verwerpt-verbod|access-date=23 July 2015|work=nrc.nl|date=2 April 2013|language=nl|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150629130005/http://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2013/04/02/pedovereniging-martijn-mag-blijven-bestaan-hof-verwerpt-verbod/|archive-date=29 June 2015|url-status=live}} On 18 April 2014, the Supreme Court overturned the acquittal and reinstated the trial judge's order.{{cite news|author1=Annemarie Coevert|title=Hoge Raad: vereniging Martijn definitief verboden en ontbonden|url=http://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2014/04/18/hoge-raad-vereniging-martijn-wordt-verboden-en-ontbonden/|access-date=23 July 2015|work=nrc.nl|date=18 April 2013|language=nl|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150627043723/http://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2014/04/18/hoge-raad-vereniging-martijn-wordt-verboden-en-ontbonden/|archive-date=27 June 2015|url-status=live}} In 2015, an appeal by the association to the European Court for Human Rights (ECHR) was rejected.{{cite web|url=http://www.nltimes.nl/2015/02/03/pro-pedophile-association-loses-eu-court-bid/|title=Pro-pedophile association loses EU court bid|date=3 February 2015}}