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Wilders does not incite hatred, says judge

Monday 07 April 2008

Anti-Islam MP Geert Wilders’ comments about the Koran and the prophet Mohammed do not incite hatred or violence against Muslims, a court in Rotterdam ruled on Monday.

The judge rejected a case brought the Islamic federation (NIF) saying that Wilders’ comments were provocative but did not break the law.

‘A member of parliament must be able to express his standpoint, if necessary in sharp terms,’ the judge is quoted as saying by ANP news service. ‘Wilders’ right to freedom of expression is the deciding factor here’.

The NIF wanted to know if Wilders had broken the law with his public declaration in August last year that the Koran is a fascist book and comments that Mohammed was a barbarian.

According to the judge, the term fascism must be seen in a broader context. The NIF associated it with the Holocaust and ‘other evil practices from Nazi Germany’. But fascism should, said the judge, be seen as ‘a collective term for ideologies which fundamentally embrace a totalitarian political system which leaves no room for people with other ideas’.

When it came to Mohammed, the NIF was unable during the hearing to deny that he was a barbarian, reports ANP. Furthermore, the organisation was not able to disprove the fact that Islam consists of beliefs that are in contradiction to democratic principles, the judge said.

Wilders, who is leader of the anti-immigration PVV party (which has nine of the 150 seats in parliament) said he is pleased with the ruling.

‘I have always been of the opinion that I must be free to point out the dangers of the ongoing Islamisation of the west and the Netherlands in the political debate. I have never felt that I have gone over the top. You must be able to make sharp comments in the political debate, ’ ANP quotes him as saying.

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Readers' comments

I think to malign the religion of any sect of society is not freedom of expression.Its being intolerant and and barbaric in itself.Did the Muslims ever maligned Christ because they consider him a prophet as well.So Wilders i think have some personal grudge against muslims which came out in the form of Fitna the blasphemous film.

By sherry | April 7, 2008 6:36 PM

i wonder, its ok to humiliate a religion symbols, but its not ok to doubt a historical incident?!!!!

By Kim Adams | April 8, 2008 3:17 AM

Thank goodness the law supports Geert WIlders. His Fitna simply demonstrated that certain Qur'anic teachings result in certain Muslim behaviours: violent jihad, decapitations etc. This barbarous belief system has no place in a civilised country.

By Gabrielle | April 8, 2008 8:20 AM

Good, the judge had common sense.

By sandra | April 8, 2008 11:42 AM

Reassurance that the world isn't going mad afterall.

By Sharon | April 8, 2008 4:02 PM

Justice has served Geert Wilders good! Every religion needs to be amligned in order for it to be adaptable in Western society....so is it ok to bash Christianity, Judaism, and Buddhism?...but bad to bash Islam because its suddenly racism...???

By Adriano | April 10, 2008 6:14 PM

Sherry, the fact that you refer to "Fitna" as a blasphemous film shows that you have a bias in this matter. After all, the only person who would call it "blasphemous" is a Muslim

Wilders does not talk about whether Islam says Jesus is a prophet or not, but that Islam says Muslims must fight jihad until the world is conquered for Allah, that women are only worth half of a man, that a man can have four wives and as many "concubines" as he can afford, and that if a Muslim changes his religion he should be killed.

The more you think about it, the more the facist the Koran looks with every page.

Oh, and that Mohammad married a six year old girl who he had sex with when she was nine.

By Adam | May 22, 2008 8:22 PM

Adam, please don’t talk unless you are certain your facts. Firstly, the Quran is not just a storybook like other religious books, it’s more of a literature book written in a very intellectual and comprehensive style that requires scholars to analyze and extract its actual meanings.

So don't even think that reading a couple of verses makes you know anything about it. Islam does not say;

> Fight the world until the world is conquered for Allah
> Women are only worth half of a man

Yes, Islam does say that a man could have as many as four wives, but only as long as he can treat them all equally and fairly, so where is the problem with that?!

Although I believe that it is impossible to treat 4 wives equally making this argument pointless. Lastly, Islam does say that if a Muslim changes his religion he should be killed, but only if he voluntary CHOOSES Islam as his religion to begin with, not like most people nowadays that grow into Islam because of their environment.

The idea is not to make a mockery of Islam as early Islamic enemies have used this maneuver to disrespect and devalue Islam. Therefore, if one doesn’t like this rule or any other Islamic rule, then they shouldn’t have joined Islam to start with!

Even if Mohammad had sex with a nine-years old, thats the puberty age in Islam, so no comments really.

So please, don't get involved in discussions that you have no knowledge of.
Thank you!

By Ali | November 15, 2008 7:30 PM

I advice you to read a lot about the history of Islam to well undersatnd it. Concerning the holly Qu'oran, the best thing to understand it is to learn arabic language which makes the mestry of this book.but the only thing I haven't understood is that why all this ferocious attack on Islam ?

By Razika | January 12, 2009 10:11 PM

The "Prophet": KIll the unbelievers wherever you find them.
Surah 5:51: O' you who believe do not take the Jews and Christians for friends, for they are friends of each other, and whoever takes them for a friend, then surely he is one of them, and Allah does not guide the unjust people.
Makes one wonder if Sherry would condemn human sacrifice.

By Ron Slade Sr. | September 8, 2009 5:56 AM

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