We live in a world where satire serves as the canary in the coal mine for freedom of speech. That freedom has become an endangered species in the very heart of Europe—namely, Belgium.

In France, there is Charlie Hebdo. In Belgium, there is ’tScheldt—a name that cleverly combines the river Scheldt (Schelde in Dutch) with the verb “to scold” (schelden).

’tScheldt was founded in 1995. Its owner passed away in 2018, and just days before his death, Belgian entrepreneur Gert Van Mol acquired the satirical magazine. Mr. Van Mol had previously worked at The Wall Street Journal for nearly a decade.

For over thirty years, authors and cartoonists of 'tScheldt contributed voluntarily, writing and drawing under pseudonyms. Under Gert Van Mol’s leadership, ’tScheldt began blending sharp satire with serious investigative journalism. Mr. Van Mol adopted a new motto for ’tScheldt: "shaming individuals and institutions into improvement".

Gradually, the magazine started exposing uncomfortable truths in Belgian politics. Politicians and members of the elite responded by launching lawsuits to have articles and cartoons removed. As pressure to silence the publication intensified, a group of Belgium’s top lawyers—arguably the best in the country—stepped in to defend it.

Mr. Van Mol’s home was raided by armed police after he refused to disclose the identities of the anonymous authors and cartoonists who had uncovered one scandal after another. Since then, Van Mol has been arrested several times, accused of publishing articles that damage the reputations of politicians.

In 2025, thanks to the dream team of lawyers, Van Mol secured a landmark appellate ruling that clearly and unequivocally explained the meaning of satire in this changing world, the degree of freedom that must be granted to ’tScheldt, and how satire should be interpreted by the Belgian judiciary. The ruling was highly encouraging, yet lower courts continue to disregard it, allowing judicial pressure on ’tScheldt to persist.

Although Belgium is often held up as a model of press freedom and free speech, that reputation no longer holds true. The justice system has become ideologically captured, and virtually all Belgian media outlets are now state-subsidized—with one small exception: the independent satirical magazine ’tScheldt.

To damage its reputation, opponents spread the false rumor that ’tScheldt was funded by far-right sources—a complete fabrication.

In recent weeks, the attacks on the magazine have reached absurd, almost Kafkaesque levels. Two weeks ago, two companies and Mr. Van Mol himself were ordered to pay €20,000 for a single article the authorities deemed should never have been published.

Then, on Friday, January 30, individuals and companies associated with ’tScheldt received a court order to pay €257,431.19 over one satirical article that exposed misconduct by two lawyers. This is the highest fine ever imposed for a single article in the history of Belgian media.

The Belgian government and its politicians are attempting to silence ’tScheldt through what are now known as SLAPP lawsuits. SLAPP stands for Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation. It is a modern tactic designed to force the opposing party to its knees by relentlessly burdening them with exorbitant legal costs.

The small team behind ’tScheldt is indeed exhausted by the constant fear of police at their doors or bailiffs seizing personal property to collect these astronomical sums. The authors and cartoonists now plan to raise €1 million to build a protective fund around the magazine.

Help us preserve free speech in Europe.

Help us save the last truly independent, non-subsidized press in Belgium.

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www.tscheldt.be