Dutch MP to be prosecuted over anti-Islam comments

[Scurrilous]

Source: ABC News

<snip>

"Right-wing Dutch MP Geert Wilders, who has made a short film accusing the Koran of inciting violence, must be prosecuted for anti-Islam comments, an Amsterdam court said.

The court overruled the public prosecutor who had declined to prosecute Mr Wilders, whose film Fitna urged Muslims to tear out hate-filled verses from the Koran.

"The Amsterdam appeals court has ordered the prosecution of member of parliament Geert Wilders for inciting hatred and discrimination, based on comments by him in various media on Muslims and their beliefs," the court said in a statement.

"The court also considers appropriate criminal prosecution for insulting Muslim worshippers because of comparisons between Islam and Nazism made by Wilders," the statement said."

Read more: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/01/22/2471595.htm?section=justin

[varkam]

1. Hey, sort of like that Australian fellow that was recently incarcerated for insulting...

the King of Thailand.

Yeesh.

[Odin2005]

2. What the hell happened to free speech?

insulting and offending people may make you an asshole, but in a free society it should not be criminal. Freedom of speech is either total or else it is not free.

[jberryhill]

8. Nothing

But this case is not in the US.

Broad "hate speech" laws are not uncommon in Europe.

[marshall]

17. Free Speech is an American thing

Sort of like public libraries. They have something like it in Europe, but it's not the same.

[bertman]

3. That premium grade reefer must be clouding their progressive minds.

[jkirch]

12. The reefer is just for American tourists.

[bertman]

18. Dint know that.

[tritsofme]

4. I wonder if they prosecute people for "insulting" the Pat Robertsons and Jerry Falwells of the world

You think so?

I kind of doubt it.

[DumpDavisHogg]

7. The EU does

The EU extradited an Austrian author to Greece for writing a book that supposedly violated Greece's "blasphemy" laws. The EU is not a free speech giant.

[Romulox]

5. Chilling. Authoritarianism masked as "tolerance". nt

[Bake]

6. Kinda makes one appreciate the First Amendment here ...

Bake

[LeftishBrit]

9. It's my impression that what Wilders is in trouble for...

is not insulting/ blaspheming against Islam as such, but for trying to whip up hate against Muslim immigrants in the Netherlands.

There are still freedom-of-speech implications; but this isn't a blasphemy accusation; it's more like a racism issue.

[muriel_volestrangler]

10. Yeah, he's not exactly pro-free speech himself:

A year earlier, Mr Wilders described the Koran as a "fascist book" and called for it to be banned in "the same way we ban Mein Kampf", in a letter published in the De Volkskrant newspaper.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7842344.stm

[customerserviceguy]

16. As I understand it

he's taken the hate speech from the Koran, and showcased it. If I took the same thing from the Bible here, I'd be despised by the fundies, but I'd have every legal right to do so.

[Belial]

11. Coming soon to a country near you... sigh

[ohio2007]

14. interesting ACLU case coming to a state near you

ACLU to sue Twin Cities charter school that caters to Muslims

The Minnesota ACLU is set to file suit against TIZA, a charter school in Inver Grove Heights and Blaine, which the suit claims is promoting the Muslim religion.

..

The American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota said it will file suit today against a publicly funded charter school, alleging that it is promoting the Muslim religion and that it is leasing school space from a religious organization, the Muslim American Society of Minnesota, without following state law.


snip

http://www.startribune.com/local/stpaul/38009569.html

Wonder if they have the same curriculum as that of pakistani schools ( females included of course)



http://www.dawn.com/2009/01/20/top7.htm

No school for those girls


literally

[LeftishBrit]

15. Pakistani schools...

I have some contacts with a Pakistani educational researcher, and though the situation is far from rosy, it's not the case that *no* girls go to school.

Three-quarters of girls go to primary school, compared with almost 100% of boys. 24% of boys, and 18% of girls, go to secondary school. According to the statistics, basic literacy rates in young adults are about three-quarters of men and about half of women.

The statistics are fairly shocking, though I think not that atypical for a developing country. There are enclaves, especially those affected by the Taliban, where social attitudes appear to be stuck in the 9th century; but this doesn't represent the whole country. There is of course intense political conflict in Pakistan between the modernizing secular types, and the religious-right.

[David__77]

13. I prefer the US standard better.

Let the fascists and other human scum utter their nonsense. The people can deal with them better than administrative organs.