Safeguarding Citizens’ Rights and Institutional Integrity in a Digitized Society
To the President of the Council of State
Postbus 20019
2500 EA The Hague
Tilburg, May 25, 2025
Subject: Request for institutional attention to systemic failures in cybersecurity, police report processing, and citizen protection in Tilburg
Dear President,
With this letter, I would like to draw your attention to an urgent societal issue that affects both the integrity of the rule of law and the protection of citizens in the digital domain. In my hometown of Tilburg, there have been serious and persistent shortcomings in the handling of police reports regarding digital stalking, cybercrime, and administrative intimidation. These failures not only endanger my personal safety but also undermine broader societal values and principles such as legal equality, transparency, and the protection of vulnerable citizens.
- Systemic neglect of cybercrime reports:
Since 2020, I have repeatedly reported incidents of digital group stalking, identity theft, and online intimidation—crimes that predominantly occur during the evening and night hours, with technical traces pointing to Bergen op Zoom. The public prosecutor and the investigating officer have systematically failed to respond appropriately. Despite clear indications of coordinated cyberattacks, no investigation has been initiated, no feedback provided, and some reports have even been deleted or ignored. This passivity leaves citizens unprotected in an increasingly digitized society. - Undermining legal equality and abuse of power:
The circumstances surrounding my arrest on October 26, 2021—during which I was detained for 30 hours without clear justification and my digital devices were confiscated—have still not been clarified. Police officers merely stated that “the Public Prosecutor had ordered it.” Neither the legal basis has been disclosed, nor has there been any substantive response to crucial emails and evidence demonstrating my innocence. This violation of my freedom, privacy, and legal security is not an isolated incident.
What is especially troubling is that a local alderwoman was actively involved in filing a complaint against me, and I was later sentenced by a magistrate from her own network. This combination of administrative involvement, instrumentalization of criminal justice, and selective prosecution has taken on the character of administrative harassment and network-based influence—posing a serious threat to the separation of powers. Furthermore, it is particularly concerning that a supervisory judge from the Public Prosecutor’s Office in Zeeland-West-Brabant decided on a prolonged detention of 103 days in PI Ter Peel for a citizen who has been requesting assistance since 2020 due to severe cybercrime. This decision was made without visible safeguards for a fair trial or the right to be heard. Remarkably, it is precisely in the period following this detention that digital intimidation and the misuse of personal data have exponentially increased—a fact that underscores the urgency of expert, independent review of government decisions and judicial actions in the digital domain.
Call for the establishment of an independent Levelt Cyber Council in Tilburg:
From an institutional perspective, it is of the utmost importance that the foundations of our rule of law remain resilient against digital subversion and conflicts of interest in local governance. I therefore urgently request the Council of State to address the lack of adequate checks and balances in municipalities such as Tilburg, where there is a structural deficit in independent oversight and expertise regarding digital safety, whistleblower protection, and cybercrime.
I propose the establishment of an independent “Levelt Cyber Council” in Tilburg—modeled after the Levelt Committee, which once helped restore scientific integrity in the aftermath of the Stapel affair. This council could supervise the integrity of digital investigations, monitor the performance of the Public Prosecution Service in cybercrime cases, and safeguard whistleblowers and victims of digital intimidation within public administrative contexts.
Such a council should:
- Operate independently from local political networks;
- Bring together expertise in digital safety, administrative law, and whistleblower protection;
- Provide guidance on proper handling of cybercrime reports and institutional accountability.
Given the dual role of the Council of State as the highest administrative court and legislative advisor, your institution is uniquely suited to consider, guide, or support this proposal for the establishment of an independent cyber council through interdepartmental or administrative channels.
I trust that you recognize the severity of this situation and that you are willing to contribute to a systemic solution that strengthens digital legal security in Tilburg and the Netherlands.
Sincerely,
Cora Westerink
Alumna, Tilburg University
Starwink Foundation, art for children and youth with fewer opportunities (2007–present), Chamber of Commerce no. 18087833
PDF Public Letters 2025 in Dutch
Hey, Flippo? Below is a collage I made in the summer of 2023. Feel free to add it to your muckraking:
