Geert Wilders on Trial, Yet Again

Geert Wilders’ new trial began today in Amsterdam. We have some material in Dutch which will be translated in due course, but in the meantime, here’s the advance report from Dutch News:

Wilders’ Inciting Hatred Trial Resumes in Front of New Judges

The trial of anti-Islam MP Geert Wilders on discrimination and inciting hatred charges resumes in Amsterdam on Monday.

Last October the trial was abandoned after senior court officials ruled several irregularities in the proceedings could be deemed prejudicial. New judges have now been appointed.

Judges last week rejected calls by the plaintiffs for new prosecutors to be appointed. Several of the groups which have pressed for legal action against Wilders are angry that the prosecution department had also called for not guilty verdicts on all charges during the first trial.

Proceedings

Today’s hearing will focus on the legal framework of the trial and Wilders’ lawyer Bram Moszkowicz is likely to call on the judges to say there is no case to answer, Nos television reports.

Once those legal arguments are out of the way, the proceedings will focus on determining which witnesses will be heard.

The leader of the anti-Islam PVV party faces several charges of inciting hatred and discrimination against Muslims, Moroccans and non-Western immigrants.

At his first trial, the MP wanted to call 17 witnesses including criminal law professor Theo Roos, several radical imams and Mohammed Bouyeri - the man who murdered film maker Theo van Gogh. Wilders has described Bouyeri as ‘living proof’ that Islam inspires people to violence.

Hat tip: KGS.