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[Kabouter]

Judge Marcel van Oosten told Mr Wilders, 47, who has been on trial in the Amsterdam regional court since last October, ruled that his statements were "acceptable within the context of the public debate".

The Dutch MP faced five counts of hate speech and discrimination for his anti-Islamic remarks on websites, internet forums and in Dutch newspapers between October 2006 and March 2008, and in his controversial 17-minute movie "Fitna" ("Discord" in Arabic).

The leader of the right-wing Party for Freedom's (PVV) acquittal comes on the backdrop of a prosecution unwilling to take up the case against the platinum-haired parliamentarian, who claimed before court he was "defending freedom in the Netherlands" against Islam.

Mr Wilders – one of Europe's most heavily-guarded politicians – has demanded his acquittal before the court, saying he was "obliged to speak" because The Netherlands is "under threat" from Islam.

Mr Wilders, whose party lends its support to a right-leaning Dutch coalition government, said he was "defending the character, the identity, the culture and the freedom of The Netherlands."

His case has been helped by a reluctant prosecution, who last month again asked for his acquittal, saying that although his comments may have frequently caused anxiety and insult, they were not criminal as they criticised Islam as a religion and not Muslims as a people.

On Thursday, Judge van Oosten said about Wilders' statements: "The bench finds that although gross and degenerating, it dit not give rise to hatred."

The prosecution's unwillingness to take aim at Mr Wilders dates as far back as 2008 when it refused to take up a case against him following complaints. On January 21, 2009, however, the Amsterdam appeals court forced the prosecution to mount a case against him.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor...Wilders-acquitted-on-hate-speech-charges.html

More background here: http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/features/2011/06/201162112350580926.html

 

[Deleted member 1235]

a fair result most likely.

fuck I hate wilders though.

 

[Count Dookkake]

Islam had a good run.

 

[SmokyDave]

I'd let him off on the basis he has great hair.

His case has been helped by a reluctant prosecution, who last month again asked for his acquittal, saying that although his comments may have frequently caused anxiety and insult, they were not criminal as they criticised Islam as a religion and not Muslims as a people.

Sounds fair to me.

 

[Kabouter]

a fair result most likely.

fuck I hate wilders though.

Yeah, but it's better for everyone that he was acquitted I think. Plus, I think Wilders was smart enough to say things in a way that did not conflict with hate speech laws, so it wouldn't have been a fair conviction anyway.

 

[fushi]

Not being very familiar with the local situation... is a result like that likely to incite any rioting? Probably not, I guess.

 

[Deleted member 1235]

Yeah, but it's better for everyone that he was acquitted I think. Plus, I think Wilders was smart enough to say things in a way that did not conflict with hate speech laws, so it wouldn't have been a fair conviction anyway.

also my feeling, this would have pissed a lot of people off if he actually got guilty and would have made the whole situation worse. Hopefully the whole hassle will make him watch his step a little bit, but I doubt it.

 

[WARCOCK]

Yeah, but it's better for everyone that he was acquitted I think. Plus, I think Wilders was smart enough to say things in a way that did not conflict with hate speech laws, so it wouldn't have been a fair conviction anyway.

How? I'm assuming you believe his imprisonment would have made him a martyr and inflamed his base?

 

[Chuckie]

I'd let him off on the basis he has great hair.


Sounds fair to me.

Mesmerising


Yeah it is fair he was aquitted. He's a cunt though.

 

[Vagabundo]

Mesmerising


Yeah it is fair he was aquitted. He's a cunt though.

Eugenics failed with this one.

 

[Rei_Toei]

I wonder if his popularity would get a boost if he was considered guilty. Doesn't really seem to matter how he gets in the news though, as long as he's in it.

 

[norinrad]

Knowing Wilders, He will be back in court again sooner or later lol

 

[Timedog]

Eugenics failed with this one.

Looks like Anthony Hopkins mixed with Leonardo Dicaprio.

 

[Always-honest]

that was pretty clear halfway through the case.

 

[Vagabundo]

Looks like Anthony Hopkins mixed with Leonardo Dicaprio.

Mixed with pigsy:

 

[neorej]

Knowing Wilders, He will be back in court again sooner or later lol

On what grounds?
All the morons have already indited him, you can't try someone for the same complaint twice.

 

[OttomanScribe]

Better that than he be martyred. I think a conviction would have contradicted to some extent liberalism, though he is hardly a classical liberal himself. In that sense his not-guilty verdict will benefit Muslims who find themselves a similar target for similar laws.

 

[scar tissue]

hate speech is perhaps the silliest 'crime' in existence
unless someone is actively calling for violence against people, it shouldn't be hate speech. period.

 

[jorma]

Mixed with pigsy:

nothing halal about Geert indeed

 

[Casp0r]

Silence the non believers!

 

[Arjen]

Complete waste of time and money this trial, now that it's over, let's stop giving this idiot the attention he craves.

 

[norinrad]

On what grounds?
All the morons have already indited him, you can't try someone for the same complaint twice.

Those morons are mostly likely going to appeal the courts decision. I doubt this is far from over.

 

[Daeda]

Those morons are mostly likely going to appeal the courts decision. I doubt this is far from over.

Actually, since this was also what the Attorney General wanted, an appeal is unlikely I think. This trial was never more than a formality, no matter how much they tried to make it a media sensation.

 

[Wazzim]

hate speech is perhaps the silliest 'crime' in existence
unless someone is actively calling for violence against people, it shouldn't be hate speech. period.

Define 'hate'.


Now look at your comment again.

 

[Nolimit_SS]

In before PVV gets more support for next elections

 

[scar tissue]

Define 'hate'.


Now look at your comment again.

i'm not sure what legally qualifies as hate speech, but stuff like saying mohammed was a pedophile falls under the german equivalent ("volksverhetzung") and that's just bullshit

 

[Nolimit_SS]

I'd call it truth, unless marrying 9(or was it 6 but started living together at 9) year old is an exception.

 

[neorej]

Those morons are mostly likely going to appeal the courts decision. I doubt this is far from over.

Yeah, and the public prosecutor will tell them there won't be an appeal, just like he stated there would be no prosecution in the first place. It was because a judge that this trial happened in the first place, which was an unorthodox and fairly unique demand and received a lot of criticism from politics, the public and media.
I doubt any judge in Holland will demand an appeal.

 

[scar tissue]

I'd call it truth, unless marrying 9 year old is an exception.

so would i, yet there was a conviction for this.
explanation of the court: mohammed was not a pedophile because he also had sex with adult women. wtf man?

 

[ArjanN]

Sounds fair to me.

In his case the "I hate Islam, not muslims" thing is just a fairly transparant excuse for running on a platform of bigotry and opportunism.

 

[jaxword]

he tax cuts haven't generated anything close to the economic "shot of adrenaline" that Gov. Brownback promised.

 

[Kabouter]

Yeah, and the public prosecutor will tell them there won't be an appeal, just like he stated there would be no prosecution in the first place. It was because a judge that this trial happened in the first place, which was an unorthodox and fairly unique demand and received a lot of criticism from politics, the public and media.
I doubt any judge in Holland will demand an appeal.

It's also very unique in that the judiciary has chosen to barely limit freedom of speech in the past decades, regardless of what the laws actually say on it.

It's disappointing they deviated from this, because Wilders only gained, and the people have lost further faith in the judiciary, and now believe it is entirely disconnected from society as a whole :/.

 

[neorej]

It's also very unique in that the judiciary has chosen to barely limit freedom of speech in the past decades, regardless of what the laws actually say on it.

It's disappointing they deviated from this, because Wilders only gained, and the people have lost further faith in the judiciary, and now believe it is entirely disconnected from society as a whole :/.

But that was always the case. I mean, Pim Fortuyn's murderer is getting out in three years, rapists are "sentenced" with 24 hours of community-work and are permitted to live in the same neighbourhood as their victims and victims of crimes spend more time at the policestation to report the crime than the criminals spend doing jailtime.

The Dutch justice-system is fucked up. This case only made me rest assured that I'm still allowed to say whatever I want.

What I do find hilarious though, one of the complainers today is the same imam that insults jews, Dutch, Europeans, whites and everything else that's not islam in his eyes on a weekly basis. Why was there no judge in that courtroom laughing and telling him to GTFO?

 

[Joel Was Right]

I remember when he became banned from entering the UK and initially I supported it. But after reading some of the more reasonable oppositions to it, I changed my mind and felt he should be be free to do so because I thought it would trigger a constructive discussion of the Muslim faith and the role of Islam in western society in place of the tabloid headings. But after the multiculturalism sham and the burqa 'debate', my confidence in intellectual exchanges being the format, as opposed to hyperbole and veiled race issues, has taken severe damage. It's not so much as Wilders or his opinions that are the issue, but rather the environment and the mindset of many at this moment. It may be 15 years too late or too soon for this

 

[magicaltrevor]

But that was always the case. I mean, Pim Fortuyn's murderer is getting out in three years, rapists are "sentenced" with 24 hours of community-work and are permitted to live in the same neighbourhood as their victims and victims of crimes spend more time at the policestation to report the crime than the criminals spend doing jailtime.

The Dutch justice-system is fucked up. This case only made me rest assured that I'm still allowed to say whatever I want.

What I do find hilarious though, one of the complainers today is the same imam that insults jews, Dutch, Europeans, whites and everything else that's not islam in his eyes on a weekly basis. Why was there no judge in that courtroom laughing and telling him to GTFO?

Because it's 'disrespectful' to say something to religious people that might potentially hurt their feelings or upset them. Especially if they're Muslim. :-/

Spoiler

I fucking hate religion and all the bullshit it continues to release on this world. :-(

 

[MNC]

In before PVV gets more support for next elections

woops, too late

 

[Joel Was Right]

Because it's 'disrespectful' to say something to religious people that might potentially hurt their feelings or upset them. Especially if they're Muslim. :-/

Spoiler

I fucking hate religion and all the bullshit it continues to release on this world. :-(

I don't think it's just a case of simply being critical of Islam that is sometimes controversial but rather the context of post 9/11 Western attitudes towards Muslims that is the main cause for the PC mantra. We live in a society where you can have a congressman propose nuking holy Muslim cites like Mecca in response to any future terrorist attack. I believe there is a concern in allowing rhetoric like that to be legitimised or grow and eventually spill over to community relations which are obviously a real factor here in Europe more so than they are in the States.

 

[-MB-]

Because it's 'disrespectful' to say something to religious people that might potentially hurt their feelings or upset them. Especially if they're Muslim. :-/

Spoiler

I fucking hate religion and all the bullshit it continues to release on this world. :-(

Now say the exact things wilders says and replace it with either jews or judaism.
Then see whose feelings are hurt faster.

 

[Boozeroony]

But that was always the case. I mean, Pim Fortuyn's murderer is getting out in three years, rapists are "sentenced" with 24 hours of community-work and are permitted to live in the same neighbourhood as their victims and victims of crimes spend more time at the policestation to report the crime than the criminals spend doing jailtime.

The Dutch justice-system is fucked up. This case only made me rest assured that I'm still allowed to say whatever I want.

Lots of bullshit here. Despite its flaws, the system works pretty good. Compared to Belarus or even Italy.

Info (Dutch)

 

[magicaltrevor]

Now say the exact things wilders says and replace it with either jews or judaism.
Then see whose feelings are hurt faster.

I know...

And it's mad.

 

[SmokyDave]

What I do find hilarious though, one of the complainers today is the same imam that insults jews, Dutch, Europeans, whites and everything else that's not islam in his eyes on a weekly basis. Why was there no judge in that courtroom laughing and telling him to GTFO?

Sweet, sweet hypocrisy. They know they won't get openly called out.

Now say the exact things wilders says and replace it with either jews or judaism.
Then see whose feelings are hurt faster.

Didn't read the spoiler, did ya?

 

[neorej]

Sweet, sweet hypocrisy. They know they won't get openly called out.

Owh, he's been called out. And he deflects it everytime by yelling something about white devils and pointing to others and going "bu-bu-bu-but what about them!".

 

[jaxword]

Owh.

What does this term mean?

 

[archnemesis]

What does this term mean?

"A sound someone makes when their feelings have been hurt, they're dissapointed, or when they drop something. Pronounced oh-woohhh, but you're supposed to say it as if you just woke up."

 

[SmokyDave]

What does this term mean?

I took it as 'Oh, make no mistake', in that context.

As in he has been called out, but to little effect.

 

[TheOddOne]

Its funny that he ordered papers not to not write bad things about his party. Freedom of speech, eh?

 

[JGS]

Silly thing to have a law on based on what I heard about it on the radio. NPR focused on what he said though and not the context of the law.

It seems that merely saying something hateful is prosecutable. I hope it's based on something that shows concern for it actually inciting something more physical.

 

[Boozeroony]

Who agrees with me that you can never offend anyone with words and that you can only be offended? The action lies with the 'receiver', not the 'sender'. I mean, most thing I say may offend someone else in the world. If someone is calling me names I can always disregard his opinion if he lacks arguments. If he has good arguments, I may learn from them and I do not need to feel offended.

On the other hand, it may be just common decency to not shout and calling names. It shouldn't be a judicial matter, but a morality/decency matter.

 

[jaxword]

I took it as 'Oh, make no mistake', in that context.

As in he has been called out, but to little effect.

Thanks to you and archnemesis for that explanation. Maybe it's a British thing, here in Nebraska I've never heard it.

 

[Mael]

hate speech is perhaps the silliest 'crime' in existence
unless someone is actively calling for violence against people, it shouldn't be hate speech. period.

Huh that IS the definition of hate speech....at least here it is