Two former pupils at a fundamentalist Protestant school have initiated legal proceedings to force the public prosecution department to take action against the institution for its approach on homosexuality.

A criminal inquiry was launched into the 1,700-pupil Gomarus school community in Gorinchem after former pupils told NRC last year they had been blackmailed by staff into declaring their sexuality to their parents.

The department concluded in June last year that the school had acted beyond the boundaries of acceptable behaviour but the case never came to court because the school had reportedly changed its approach.

The pupils are being supported by gay rights campaign group COC, which says it is ‘incomprehensible that the public prosecutor uncovered a crime but decided not to prosecute’.

The public prosecutor said last year people affected by the decision could challenge it through an article 12 procedure, where citizens can ask the courts to order a prosecution, if they disagreed with it.

The hearing will take place behind closed doors on August 24.