Two Pakistani men are standing trial in absentia for inciting the murder of far-right Dutch politician Geert Wilders. The men, a religious leader and a political party chief, are accused of urging followers to kill Wilders, who recently joined the government after winning the most votes in the last year’s elections.
Prosecutors are seeking a 14-year sentence for Muhammed Ashraf Jalali and Saad Hussain Rizvi, who allegedly promised rewards in the afterlife for killing Wilders. The trial took place at a high-security court near Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport.
The threats against Wilders came after he announced a competition for cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed, causing outrage within the Muslim community. Wilders cancelled the contest, but continued to face death threats and required state protection.
The trial marks a larger issue of freedom of speech and expression, with Wilders stating that he has been robbed of his freedom for the past 20 years due to his beliefs and actions. He called on the court to send a strong signal that calling for a fatwa in the country is unacceptable.
The Dutch authorities have requested legal assistance from Pakistan to question the suspects, but no treaty for mutual legal assistance exists. This highlights the challenges in prosecuting such cases in an international context.
The trial follows similar cases of individuals inciting violence against Wilders, and shows the ongoing tensions surrounding issues of freedom of speech and the limits of expression.
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