Disinformation claiming that a case has been opened against Jens Stoltenberg in Belgium

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On January 22, Facebook users Bakari Vardosanidze and Dato Faika Nacvlishvili posted information alleging that a case had been opened in Belgium against former NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg for inciting the conflict in Ukraine. According to Vardosanidze’s post, Belgian lawyer Philippe Vanlangendonck stated that Stoltenberg could face a life sentence. Vanlangendonck represents French publicist Patrick Pasin, who filed a lawsuit against Stoltenberg. The source of Vardosanidze’s post is the Kremlin-affiliated outlet TASS. Russian propaganda media outlets, including Moskovsky Komsomolets, Lenta.ru, Izvestia, and Vzglyad, disseminated the same information in October 2024. Russian media claim that the lawsuit against Stoltenberg was filed in Belgium on October 27, 2024.

Jens Stoltenberg Jens Stoltenberg Jens Stoltenberg

The claim that a case has been opened against Jens Stoltenberg in Belgium is disinformation. A French conspiracy theorist and author, Patrick Pasin, submitted a complaint to the prosecutor’s office requesting an investigation into Stoltenberg but did not file a lawsuit against the former NATO Secretary General. According to available information, no investigation or legal proceedings are currently underway against Stoltenberg in Belgium.

According to a statement published on French author Patrick Pasin’s website on October 3, 2024, he filed a complaint with the Belgian Attorney General requesting an investigation into the former NATO Secretary General. In the lengthy text of the complaint, Pasin accuses Stoltenberg of violating Belgian and international humanitarian law and committing crimes against humanity. However, this complaint does not constitute a formal lawsuit. According to information disseminated by Pasin, this was merely a complaint sent to the prosecutor with a request to initiate an investigation. More than three months have passed since the statement was published, and there is no information available so far that Pasin’s complaint has led to any legal process, investigation, or trial against Stoltenberg in Belgium.

Jens Stoltenberg served as NATO Secretary General from 2014 to October 1, 2024. Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, he was a strong supporter of Ukraine. Over the years, numerous pieces of false information have been spread about Stoltenberg.

After Russian media outlets disseminated the information in October, Polish publication Euractiv fact-checked the claims. The publication noted that, unlike a legal complaint, Pasin’s complaint to the prosecutor’s office holds less legal weight and merely requests an investigation to determine whether a crime was committed. The Euractiv article also highlighted that without sufficient evidence, such complaints are more likely to be dismissed and are unlikely to lead to any legal action or trial against Stoltenberg.

It is worth noting that limited information is available about French author Patrick Pasin himself. Since the announcement regarding Stoltenberg, no further updates have been published on his website.

Jens Stoltenberg

Pasin’s website also lists his books, which cover various conspiracy topics. As described in the book summaries, he promotes conspiracy theories about artificial control of climate and natural phenomena. One of his books develops a conspiracy theory about the involvement of the FBI in the September 11 attacks. In a book about the war in Ukraine, he blames the West for starting the conflict.

One of the Kremlin-backed disinformation narratives is also seen in Pasin’s complaint. He claims that Stoltenberg is lying when he states that NATO never promised Russia to halt the alliance’s enlargement. The claim that Western leaders pledged not to enlarge NATO eastward and later broke this promise is part of Kremlin disinformation campaigns and is used to justify the invasion of Ukraine. While such an idea floated in the initial stages of discussions about German reunification, it was soon dropped. Throughout its history, NATO has maintained an open-door policy, and no agreement has ever been signed with Russia not to accept new members.

About the Sources:

Beka (Bakar) Vardosanidze, a blogger supporting the “Conservative Movement,” frequently disseminates anti-Western, anti-Ukrainian, and opposition-discrediting content. After the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, he also spread false information about vaccines and the virus. In the past, Myth Detector has fact-checked multiple pieces of false information shared by Vardosanidze.

Dato Faika Nacvlishvili is a supporter of the “Conservative Movement” and an administrator of the group “Archive of the Enemies of the Country.” False claims shared by him have also been debunked by Myth Detector in the past.

Archive links: TASS, Изветия, Lenta.ru, Взгляд Facebook posts: 1,2


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Violation: Disinformation
Country: NATO
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