#40: Dutch money laundering articles are being misused
In Lawlunch #21 we brought to the attention that we are noticing a shift in the perception of the presumption of innocence. The presumption of innocence dictates that the burden of proof lays with the prosecuting authority. This also entails that in principle the right to remain silent cannot be used against you. However, In Dutch case law we see a development – especially in relation to money laundering – that remaining silent can be held against you. We fear that this development results in the lost of meaning of the presumption of innocence. Also, it results in a preference of the use of the Netherlands as a jurisdiction to prosecute international money laundering cases. The idea is that a suspect has to prove the legality of the source of the money. The thresholds from Dutch jurisprudence however is another one.READ MORE