Editing Defamation (section)

===Belgium===
In Belgium, crimes against honor are foreseen in Chapter V of the Belgian Penal Code, Articles 443 to 453-bis. Someone is guilty of calumny "when law admits [[evidence (law)|proof]] of the alleged fact" and of defamation "when law does not admit this evidence" (Article 443). The penalty is eight days to one year of imprisonment, plus a fine (Article 444). In addition, the crime of "calumnious denunciation" (Article 445) is punished with 15 days to six months in prison, plus a fine. In any of the crimes covered by Chapter V of the Penal Code, the minimum penalty may be doubled (Article 453-bis) "when one of the motivations of the crime is hatred, contempt or hostility of a person due to his or her [[race (classification of human beings)|intended race]], colour of the skin, [[ancestor|ancestry]], [[Nationality|national origin]] or [[ethnic group|ethnicity]], [[nationality]], [[gender]], [[sexual orientation]], [[marital status]], place of birth, age, [[Property|patrimony]], [[belief|philosophical]] or [[religious belief]], present or future health condition, [[disability]], [[first language|native language]], political belief, physical or genetical characteristic, or [[social class|social origin]]".<ref>{{in lang|fr}} [http://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/cgi_loi/loi_a1.pl?DETAIL=1867060801%2FF&caller=list&row_id=1&numero=2&rech=4&cn=1867060801&table_name=LOI&nm=1867060850&la=F&dt=CODE+PENAL&language=fr&fr=f&choix1=ET&choix2=ET&fromtab=loi_all&trier=promulgation&chercher=t&sql=dt+contains++%27CODE%27%26+%27PENAL%27and+actif+%3D+%27Y%27&tri=dd+AS+RANK+&imgcn.x=41&imgcn.y=12 Belgian Penal Code – Crimes against honour] (see Articles 443 to 453-bis)</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/standardsetting/media/Doc/DH-MM(2003)006rev_fr.asp#P306_20801 |title=European Council – Laws on Defamation – Section Belgium (French) |publisher=Council of Europe |access-date=2010-09-07}}</ref>