Wrapping Up a Geert Wilders Day

In what will probably be the final batch of Geert Wilders news for the day, here is a roundup of odds and ends about the upcoming trial, as translated by our Flemish correspondent VH (who may be an android, because he apparently never sleeps).

First, the latest from Spits Nieuws — Wilders’ objections to his prosecution have been refused by the court:

Wilders’ objection rejected

The court in Amsterdam has rejected the objections of Geert Wilders against his prosecution. This is what the court announced Wednesday.

The Public Prosecutor will continue the proceedings against the politician for defamation of a group and incitement to hatred and discrimination. Earlier on Wednesday, prior to the hearing, his lawyer Bram Moszkowicz said of the objections in court that he particularly objected to the accusation of “defamation of a group”, that Wilders should not be prosecuted for that.

This is from the most recent PVV Newsletter:

Dear friends,

This morning was the big day. In an icy cold atmosphere in a courtroom with an attorney [Public Prosecutor] who totally ignored me, we appealed against the summons which among other things includes the issue of group defamation. The Public Prosecutor expanded the writ to add incitement to hatred and discrimination against non-Western immigrants and/or Moroccans. The political trial has begun.

Again I thank everyone for the many heartwarming responses, and they keep coming in! Many people feel that the next week will be about something essential, that it ultimately affects the freedom of all Dutch people. I’ve said it before: it is not so much about me. It is about freedom of speech, our most important freedom. It is about whether we can express criticism of an ideology without risking being sentenced for it. That is the essence. Therefore please do all show up.

- - - - - - - - -

Make sure to be there [Amsterdam Court] on January 20 at the latest at 8.30 am, from 8.00 am we will gather in front of the entrance to the court.

If you have not registered for the demonstration, please do!

Next Wednesday, January 20, we will demonstrate!

Please click here [in English here] for more information about the demonstration.

I hope you all will support me!

Geert Wilders

Below are excerpts from two of the indictments the Prosecutor added to the summons (chapters 4 and 5), as posted on the PVV website (download pdf):

4. (page 20)

[…]

“[that] he, at one or more moment(s) on or around October 7, 2006, in The Hague and/or Amsterdam and/or (elsewhere in) the Netherlands, more than one time, at least once, (continuously) in public, orally, in writing or images, has incited hatred of people, namely non-Western immigrants and/or Moroccans, because of their race, (continuously) in [the newspaper] De Volkskrant, placed one or more texts with the following content:”

(De Volkskrant of October 7, 2006, “The Pope is completely right”)

“The borders will be closed the same day for all non-Western immigrants.”

and/or

“Of course, 99 percent of the people who came to live there are of Islamic descent”

and/or

“Absolutely, the numbers demonstrate that. One in five Moroccan youngsters are registered with the police as suspect. Their behavior results from their religion and culture. You cannot see these apart from each other. The Pope was recently completely right: Islam is a violent religion. Islam means submission and conversion of non-Muslims. That interpretation applies in the living rooms of those problem youngsters, in the mosques. It is in that community itself.”

and/or

“Those Moroccan boys are really violent. They attack people because of their sexual disposition. I never have used violence.”

(Dutch Penal Code; Article 137d)

5. [similar to 4.] (page 20-21)

“[that] he, at one or more moment(s) on or around October 7, 2006, in The Hague and/or Amsterdam and/or (elsewhere in) the Netherlands, more than one time, at least once, (continuously) in public, orally, in writing or images, has incited to discrimination, as meant in article 90 quater of the Dutch Penal (criminal) code, against people, namely non-Western immigrants and/or Moroccans, because of their race, (continuously) in [the newspaper] De Volkskrant, placed one or more texts with the following content:”

(page 21)

(De Volkskrant of October 7, 2006, “The Pope is completely right:)

“The borders will be closed the same day for all non-Western immigrants.”

and/or

“Of course, 99 percent of the people who came to live there are of Islamic descent”

and/or

“Absolutely, the numbers demonstrate that. One in five Moroccan youngsters are registered with the police as suspect. Their behavior results from their religion and culture. You cannot see these apart from each other. The Pope was recently completely right: Islam is a violent religion. Islam means submission and conversion of non-Muslims. That interpretation applies in the living rooms of those problem youngsters, in the mosques. It is in that community itself.”

and/or

“Those Moroccan boys are really violent. They attack people because of their sexual disposition. I never have used violence.”

(Dutch Penal Code; Article 137d )