Mr Wilders - a controversial Dutch politician - received death threats after saying he would organise a competition of cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad, which sparked outrage.
Tuesday 29 August 2023 18:53, UK
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Image:Geert Wilders attended the first day of Latif's trial
https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sha...ll' anti-Islam Dutch politician Geert Wilders
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Dutch prosecutors have demanded a 12-year prison sentence if a former Pakistani cricketer is found guilty of incitement to murder anti-Islam Dutch politician Geert Wilders.
The suspect, identified by Mr Wilders as Khalid Latif, 37, is accused of offering a bounty of around €21,000 (£18,000) to anybody who killed the politician.
Neither Latif or any lawyer representing him were present in the high-security courtroom near Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport as his trial started on Tuesday, as he is believed to be in Pakistan.
Prosecutors did not name the sportsman but said in a statement that a video posted online in 2018 showed a famous Pakistan cricketer offering money for killing Mr Wilders.
The threat came after Mr Wilders said he would organise a competition of cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad.
This sparked outrage in the Muslim community, as many consider any depictions of Muhammad to be blasphemous.
The contest did not go ahead, but Mr Wilders has lived under round-the-clock protection for years because of repeated threats to his life.
Image:Mr Wilders said Latif 'won't stop me'
'You won't stop me'
In a statement written by the Dutch public prosecution service, they said the video created by Latif "was extra toxic because it was issued during a period in which there was a lot of hatred and anger towards Geert Wilders".
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An international warrant has been issued for Latif's arrest and Dutch prosecutors said they have been trying to contact him since 2018, first as a witness and then to answer the charges against him.
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Who is Geert Wilders?
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They said that killing Mr Wilders would "have been an attack on the rule of law itself" as well as having caused "unbearable pain to his loved ones".
Speaking in court on Tuesday, Mr Wilders addressed Latif, saying: "As long as I'm living and breathing, you won't stop me. Your call to kill me and pay money for it is abject and will not silence me."
He said that a conviction would send a "powerful signal to all other others who issue threats: we won't accept it".
news.sky.com
Tuesday 29 August 2023 18:53, UK
Listen to this article
0:00 / 2:47
1X
BeyondWords
Audio created using AI assistance
Image:Geert Wilders attended the first day of Latif's trial
https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sha...ll' anti-Islam Dutch politician Geert Wilders
Why you can trust Sky News
Dutch prosecutors have demanded a 12-year prison sentence if a former Pakistani cricketer is found guilty of incitement to murder anti-Islam Dutch politician Geert Wilders.
The suspect, identified by Mr Wilders as Khalid Latif, 37, is accused of offering a bounty of around €21,000 (£18,000) to anybody who killed the politician.
Neither Latif or any lawyer representing him were present in the high-security courtroom near Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport as his trial started on Tuesday, as he is believed to be in Pakistan.
Prosecutors did not name the sportsman but said in a statement that a video posted online in 2018 showed a famous Pakistan cricketer offering money for killing Mr Wilders.
The threat came after Mr Wilders said he would organise a competition of cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad.
This sparked outrage in the Muslim community, as many consider any depictions of Muhammad to be blasphemous.
The contest did not go ahead, but Mr Wilders has lived under round-the-clock protection for years because of repeated threats to his life.
Image:Mr Wilders said Latif 'won't stop me'
'You won't stop me'
In a statement written by the Dutch public prosecution service, they said the video created by Latif "was extra toxic because it was issued during a period in which there was a lot of hatred and anger towards Geert Wilders".
Advertisement
An international warrant has been issued for Latif's arrest and Dutch prosecutors said they have been trying to contact him since 2018, first as a witness and then to answer the charges against him.
Read more:
Who is Geert Wilders?
France bans Muslim students from wearing abaya dress in state schools
They said that killing Mr Wilders would "have been an attack on the rule of law itself" as well as having caused "unbearable pain to his loved ones".
Speaking in court on Tuesday, Mr Wilders addressed Latif, saying: "As long as I'm living and breathing, you won't stop me. Your call to kill me and pay money for it is abject and will not silence me."
He said that a conviction would send a "powerful signal to all other others who issue threats: we won't accept it".
Pakistani ex-cricketer Khalid Latif 'offered money to kill' anti-Islam Dutch politician Geert Wilders
Mr Wilders - a controversial Dutch politician - received death threats after saying he would organise a competition of cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad, which sparked outrage.
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