Belgium: Self-immolation in apparent attempt to escape forced marriage
Via Het Nieuwsblad (Dutch), RTL (French):
A 16 year old North African girl set herself on fire in the La Louvière hospital Thursday. The girl had felt unwell at the end of the school day and had come to the hospital with her parents.
Shortly before the hospital released her she slipped away. She went up to the eighth floor, where she first tried to jump out of a window. Then she put on disinfectant gel and set a match to herself.
Witnesses say they heard her shouting that this was the only way to escape an arrange marriage. The girl's mother told journalists on Friday these rumors were untrue.
The girl was brought to burn center in Neder-Over-Heembeek, and her situation has since improved.
