Geert Wilders prosecuted for hate speech
Published: 21 January 2009 15:03 | Changed: 22 January 2009 14:14
NRC Handelsblad
http://www.nrc.nl/international/article2126874.ece/Geert_Wilders_pros...
Dutch member of parliament Geert Wilders of the populist PVV party is
to be charged with hate speech and inciting discrimination, the
appeals court in Amsterdam ruled on Wednesday.
Last year the public prosecutor decided not to prosecute Wilders for
his anti-Islamic statements, which include calling the Quran a fascist
book and comparing it to Hilter's Mein Kampf. Wilders made headlines
around the world in March 2008 with his film Fitna, which juxtaposed
Quranic verses against a background of violent film clips and images
of terrorism by Islamic radicals.
Dozens of organisations and individuals in the Netherlands wanted to
bring charges against the politician, but the prosecutor decided that
his remarks were painful for Muslims - but not criminal. The Amsterdam
court disagreed and found that there was a case of inciting hatred to
answer for, both because of the content of Wilders' remarks and the
way in which they were presented. The judges said they had weighed
Wilders' anti-Islam rhetoric against his right to free speech, and
ruled he had gone beyond the normal leeway granted to politicians.
The court ruled that Wilders had personally insulted Muslim believers
by attacking the symbols of Islam. The court found that many of
Wilders' comments offensive because they "injure Muslims in their
religious dignity." About Fitna the court said it was "one-sided,
extremely generalising rhetoric to radical effect, using relentless
repetition and increasing intensity."
Prosecution of Wilders is also in the public interest, the court
ruled, because in a democratic legal system a clear line about hate
speech in the public debate needs to be drawn.
Wilders said he was shaken by the court's decision. "I did not expect
this, particularly as the prosecutor himself did not want to bring
charges." Wilders called the decision "an attack on freedom of
speech." He said, "This is a black day for everyone who has voted for
me and for everyone who thinks you are allowed to criticise Islam. In
this country, you are apparently allowed to criticise only if you are
politically correct in how you express yourself."
Wilders expects that the prosecution case against him will be
acquitted. "This will only leads to long legal procedures. And it
costs a lot of money, which I do not have."
Gerard Spong, a prominent lawyer who joined Islamic groups in pushing
for Wilders' prosecution, welcomed the decision. "This is a happy day
for all followers of Islam who do not want to be tossed on the garbage
dump of Nazism," Spong told reporters in Amsterdam.
- Forums
- General
- geert wilders prosecuted for hate speech
Geert Wilders prosecuted for hate speechPublished: 21 January...
-
- There are more pages in this discussion • 2 more messages in this thread...
You’re viewing a single post only. To view the entire thread just sign in or Join Now (FREE)