Hon. Geert Wilders, MP and popular leader of the Freedom Party (PVV) in the Netherlands goes on trial on January 20^th in Amsterdam. Read our NER interview with him, here.  He is being tried on what many believe are trumped up charges of criminalizing hate speech and now racism. All because Wilders has exercised his free speech – criticizing Islam and suggesting a ban on immigration of Muslims. Those charges couldn’t be brought in a US court of law because of our First Amendment guarantees of free speech include the ability to criticize a religion. But not in Holland where a contrived case brought by a cabal of leftists and Dutch Muslims won an Amsterdam Appeals court decision. 

What this amounts to is a political trial of Wilders, a highly popular Dutch political figure because of his populist stands including such issues as banning burkas and fining Muslim women who don such Sharia compliant attire in public, as well as banning Muslim immigration to the Netherlands. Make no mistake about it, the trial is a thinly disguised attempt to convict and imprison Wilders on Islamic Sharia compliant charges of blasphemy.  If he is convicted, it would likely deny him the ability to form a ruling coalition in the Netherlands should the popular Freedom Party become the leading party in the next general elections scheduled for 2011.

The absurdity of this Amsterdam show trial of Wilders – the equivalent of the infamous Dreyfus trial that roiled France in the late 19^th and early 20^th Century - was reflected in the actions of the Amsterdam Court yesterday. Radio Netherlands reported, “Geert Wilders hate speech charges widened.”

The charges against far-right MP Geert Wilders have been extended to include inciting hatred towards Moroccans and non-Western ethnic minorities, de Volksrant newspaper reports.

Up to now the Freedom Party leader has been charged with inciting hatred against Muslims through his remarks in the media and his anti-Islam film Fitna. Mr. Wilders has compared the Qur’an to Hitler’s Mein Kampf, and called for it to be banned.

However, the public prosecutor’s office has now decided to widen the charges, based in part on Mr. Wilders response in a 2006 interview when asked what he would do if he came to power in the Netherlands: "The same day the borders would be closed to all non-Western immigrants." Mr. Wilders has also expressed this view in parliament.

The decision to widen the charges is striking because initially the public prosecutor’s office decided that Mr. Wilders had no case to answer. It only went ahead with the prosecution when an Amsterdam court ruled last year that Mr. Wilders should indeed face charges of insulting Muslims as a group and inciting hatred and discrimination towards them.

Insight
The lawyers who brought the case against Mr. Wilders have welcomed the public prosecutor’s move. Haroon Raza of anti-racism organization NBK told de Volkskrant he was “extremely satisfied”. NBK argues that Mr. Wilders is not only anti-Islam but also racist. Amsterdam lawyer Gerard Spong described the public prosecutor’s decision as a sign of “deepening insight”. It was he who brought the appeal against the initial conclusion that Mr. Wilders should not be prosecuted. 

The public prosecutor’s office has not commented on the reasons behind its decision to widen the charges. A spokesperson told de Volkskrant that the motivation would be explained during the initial hearing in the case, set for 20 January.

Objections
Mr. Wilders’ lawyer Bram Moszkowicz set out his objections to the charges in a closed hearing on Wednesday. He argued that there are no grounds to prosecute his client for insulting Muslims as a group.

Mr. Wilders argues that his criticism has always been directed against Islam as a religion, and not against Muslims. He attended the hearing in person although his Mr. Moszkowicz said he did not enter the court by the main entrance due to the death threats which have been made against him.

At the end of the hearing the court threw out Geert Wilders' objections to the charges and the trial will now go ahead as planned next week. Wilders again said he considers the prosecution to be politically motivated, he said there was more justice in North Korea.

The political conspiracy against Wilders cries out for justice – the quick dismissal of the Amsterdam court of these absurdly surrealistic charges.