Alleged Police Violence in Charleroi: Man Faces Emergency Surgery to Save His Eye

A 20-year-old man with a diagnosed intellectual disability is undergoing emergency eye surgery on Tuesday after an alleged beating by police officers during an identity check in Charleroi, Belgium, on May 3. The case has ignited public outrage and renewed demands for police accountability and transparency in Belgium.

The Incident

Yassin, a 20-year-old with mixed-type ADHD and an intellectual disability, was stopped by three police officers at the De Cartier metro station in Marchienne-au-Pont, a district of Charleroi. According to RTBF, the officers perceived his behavior as suspicious at a location known as a hotspot for drug trafficking.

Yassin told investigators that he handed over his ID card when asked but then tried to retrieve a psychiatric document from his bag to prove he was ill. “They handcuffed me, pinned me to the ground, then punched me,” Yassin said. “A bit later, as I was being led to the escalator to go back up to the police car, I received two more blows. I was shouting that I was sick and crying. The officer kept telling me ‘shut up.’”

His brother Walid explained that Yassin’s disability makes him emotionally vulnerable in stressful situations. “It’s typical of a situation where he wanted to reassure himself by showing he hadn’t done anything wrong,” Walid told RTBF.

Medical Emergency

The injuries were severe. Yassin suffered facial bruising, a broken tooth, and a conjunctival hemorrhage. Most critically, he developed a retinal and macular detachment in his right eye requiring emergency surgery on May 19. According to RTBF’s follow-up report, doctors have warned that Yassin may recover only 4/10 vision at best and will have permanent sequelae.

“The doctor can’t comment on whether his vision will recover; it’s going to be a major operation,” Yassin’s mother said. She filed a complaint with civil party status on May 4, the day after the incident. “We’re in Belgium, not the United States,” she told reporters. “I don’t understand how we got to this point. My son has never had any trouble with the police. I’ve always trusted the police. I’m disgusted.”

Legal Proceedings

A judicial investigation was opened on May 6 before an investigating judge. Crucially, surveillance camera footage from the metro station and at least one officer’s bodycam recording have been seized by the judiciary, as DHNet reported. The police have filed a counter-report for “non-armed rebellion” against Yassin, alleging he resisted the check.

Pierre-Arnaud Perrouty, director of the Human Rights League of Belgium, noted that the combination of video evidence and medical certificates provides strong grounds for establishing the truth. “In this type of case, there are two main elements that are decisive for reaching a judicial truth: first, the existence of images. That’s the case here, and that’s a good thing,” he told RTBF.

Political Response

The family attended the Charleroi municipal council meeting on Monday, May 18, where Mayor Thomas Dermine addressed questions about the case. Dermine confirmed that the police zone has seven trainers who have trained 250 colleagues in handling vulnerable persons. Regarding potential disciplinary action, he stated: “We will examine the possibility of disciplinary proceedings as soon as the judicial procedure allows it, based on the factual elements of the file.”

Broader Context

This case unfolds against a backdrop of heightened scrutiny of police conduct in Belgium. A joint investigation by Le Vif, L’Echo, De Tijd, and Knack in March 2026 found that at least 120 civilians have died during or shortly after police interventions since 2010, compared to 17 police officers killed in the line of duty. According to a 2017 report by the Comité P, 94% of police violence cases were dismissed without prosecution.

Perrouty argues that there is a “feeling of impunity” among police officers due to insufficient investigations and light sentences. As he told RTBF in a broader interview on police violence: “Acknowledging the problem would actually restore public trust, rather than undermine it.”

What’s Next

The investigating judge must now determine whether the video evidence and medical reports support charges against the officers involved. The case has become a flashpoint in Belgium’s ongoing debate about police reform, particularly regarding the treatment of vulnerable individuals. With Yassin facing permanent vision loss and a long recovery, his family waits for answers while the judicial process unfolds.