Geert Wilders cleared of hate charges by Dutch court

[KingKhanWC]

Dutch far-right politician Geert Wilders, who described Islam as "fascist", has been acquitted of inciting hatred against Muslims.

Amsterdam judge Marcel van Oosten accepted the Freedom Party leader's statements were directed at Islam and not at Muslim believers.

They were, the judge ruled, "acceptable within the context of public debate".

It is believed the plaintiffs may attempt to make their case before a European court or the UN.

Their lawyer, Ties Prakken, was quoted by Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf as saying they were "deeply disappointed" and believed the right of minorities to be protected against hate speech had been violated.
'Free to speak'

Mr Wilders has compared the Koran to Hitler's Mein Kampf.

Judge van Oosten said that although the bench found remarks by Mr Wilders "gross and denigrating", they had not given rise to hatred.

The verdict was greeted with applause from Mr Wilders' supporters in the public gallery.

Outside the courtroom, the 47-year-old politician said he was "incredibly happy" with the verdict.

"It's not only an acquittal for me, but a victory for freedom of expression in the Netherlands," he said.

"Now the good news is that it's also legal to be critical about Islam, to speak publicly in a critical way about Islam and this is something that we need because the Islamisation of our societies is a major problem and a threat to our freedom and I'm allowed to say so."

Members of minority groups who initiated the case had told the trial that Mr Wilders' comments had led to a rise in discrimination and violence against Muslims.

Plaintiffs had been seeking a symbolic one-euro fine. Before the court verdict, they had said they would consider taking their case to the European Court of Human Rights.

Mr Wilders was charged with inciting hatred and discrimination in January 2009, based on anti-Islamic statements he had made in speeches, written articles and in his controversial film Fitna.

His trial began in January 2010, after judges of the court in Amsterdam ruled that the case should be heard - despite a decision by the public prosecutors' office not to pursue it.

Even during the trial, the prosecutors had called for Mr Wilders to be acquitted, saying that while his remarks were offensive they should be part of legitimate political debate.

Although not part of the coalition government, the support of Mr Wilders's Freedom Party (PVV) keeps it in power.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13883331

Would he have been cleared if he said the same thing about Jews even with a pathetic prosecution? This nutters party is growing and if it gets into government expect his famous 'head rag' tax to come in into frutition.

 

[chacha kashmiri]

Amsterdam judge Marcel van Oosten accepted the Freedom Party leader's statements were directed at Islam and not at Muslim believers.

This opens up a whole lot of cans of worms

 

[chacha kashmiri]

I think someone needs to decide who you can insult, who you can't, what you can burn, what you can't burn, who you can slander and incite hatred against and who you can't.
Who you can publish lies about in the media and who you can't, who can you accuse of misogyny and what religion you have to be to talk about sexualisation of society etc

If there is freedom of speech that should count for everything, every race, every religion, every sexuality, every disability, every soldier, every army, every pensioner, every mother etc etc

 

[Striver]

Amsterdam judge Marcel van Oosten accepted the Freedom Party leader's statements were directed at Islam and not at Muslim believers.

most stupidest judge ever or what?

 

[Striver]

and one wonders why the increasing anger from Muslims...

 

[Taimur]

At least this way he wont be seen as a 'martyr'of his pathetic and racist cause.

 

[the Great Khan]

I think Muslims should invite wilders to a debate..

 

[Mian Hassan]

i would not be surprized if there is news next week that he has been killed

 

[Keith]

I think someone needs to decide who you can insult, who you can't, what you can burn, what you can't burn, who you can slander and incite hatred against and who you can't.
Who you can publish lies about in the media and who you can't, who can you accuse of misogyny and what religion you have to be to talk about sexualisation of society etc

If there is freedom of speech that should count for everything, every race, every religion, every sexuality, every disability, every soldier, every army, every pensioner, every mother etc etc

Well stated!

 

[PennOne]

If the dutch say it is freedom of expression, then so be it, it is their country and their laws. The onus now falls on the Muslims of Holland to make a fool of their system by making themselves politically, socially, morally superior to the native dutch. that will ensure a victory on all levels

 

[Keith]

If the dutch say it is freedom of expression, then so be it, it is their country and their laws. The onus now falls on the Muslims of Holland to make a fool of their system by making themselves politically, socially, morally superior to the native dutch. that will ensure a victory on all levels

No human being is superior to another human being, regardless of their religion or colour. If somebody thinks themselves superior to somebody else or that their religion is superior to someone else's religion then the true meaning of religion is lost in any event.

 

[PennOne]

No human being is superior to another human being, regardless of their religion or colour. If somebody thinks themselves superior to somebody else or that their religion is superior to someone else's religion then the true meaning of religion is lost in any event.

No one is saying anyone is superior. I am saying that Muslims should set forth the example that they can be morally and socially and politically better than the native people.

 

[Markhor]

At least this way he wont be seen as a 'martyr'of his pathetic and racist cause.

Exactly,if the Court punished Wilders,he would claim victim and only exacerbate the notion that Islam is intolerant and not open to debate.

 

[Robert]

No one is saying anyone is superior. I am saying that Muslims should set forth the example that they can be morally and socially and politically better than the native people.

How can they do that, do you think?

 

[MenInG]

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Saturday directed the government to take effective measures to block the tweets of Dutch anti-Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders.

A petition was filed in the IHC, seeking global action against Wilders, known for his anti-Islam views, over blasphemy attempts.

The petition stated that Wilders’ blasphemous act has hurt the feelings of more than one and a half billion Muslims across the world, therefore the Dutch ambassador should be summoned and a strong protest should be recorded against the blasphemous act

The four-page order was penned by Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani in which the court has directed the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and the IT ministry to take measures in this regard.

The order said that the IT ministry can put the matter in front of cabinet before taking any suitable action, urging the government to implement the court's decision over blasphemous content on social media.

IHC, in its verdict, said that the Dutch politician has been tweeting anti-Islam messages therefore the court took the decision in the public's interest.

It is necessary to instruct the government to take appropriate measures to protect the feelings of Muslims, it added.

The petition sought an order from the court for the government of Pakistan to demand action from the Dutch government against Wilders, and to raise such incidents of blasphemy at international fora. It also demanded that Geert Wilder’s Twitter account should be immediately blocked in Pakistan.

 

[James]

A massive idiot is Wilders. Is he still active?

Seems that he has lost much of his earlier career momentum and at least now we will not wake up one day to find him at the centre of the Dutch government.

I don’t deem somebody a racist lightly but he clearly exceeds the criteria and is a particularly hateful bigot.

 

[Abstraction1]

A massive idiot is Wilders. Is he still active?

Seems that he has lost much of his earlier career momentum and at least now we will not wake up one day to find him at the centre of the Dutch government.

I don’t deem somebody a racist lightly but he clearly exceeds the criteria and is a particularly hateful bigot.

Since Russia's little war backfired, many Right-wing figures and populist "activists" seem to have drifted off the radar.

Funny that....