Pakistan

Netherlands Tries Pakistani Men for Incitement to Kill Wilders

Published SEP 3 2024

Story

Above: PVV leader Geert Wilders seen during the plenary debate in the Tweede Kamer parliament on November 3, 2020 in The Hague, Netherlands. Image credit: BSR Agency/Contributor/Getty Images News via Getty Images

The Facts

Dutch prosecutors have sought a 14-year sentence for Muhammad Ashraf Asif Jalali, a religious leader from Pakistan who allegedly issued death threats to Party for Freedom leader Geert Wilders.
Independent
Jalali's compatriot Saad Hussain Rizvi, leader of the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan party, has also been accused of inciting his followers to kill Wilders. Both Jalali and Rizvi are Muslim.
Eastern Eye
Neither Jalali nor Rizvi appeared for their trial. The two are believed to currently be in Pakistan, a country with which the Netherlands has no extradition treaty.
ABC News
Death threats against Wilders began to spread on social media platforms after he announced that he was organizing a cartoon contest to depict the Prophet Mohammed.
Al Jazeera
The judge on Monday observed that the eventually canceled contest, which had drawn much criticism in the Netherlands, had "caused a lot of unrest" among Muslims.
Timesofisrael
A Dutch court last September sentenced former Pakistani cricketer Khalid Latif to 12 years in prison on similar charges. Similarly to this case, Latif didn't attend his trial.
Reuters

Sources Split

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RIGHT

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ESTAB

The Spin

Narrative A

Geert Wilders' right-wing politics, and anti-immigration and anti-Islamic stance, pose a significant threat to Dutch society. His extreme views promote division and intolerance, normalize xenophobia, and undermine democratic institutions. His "illiberal democracy" concept, which prioritizes the will of native Dutch supporters over established laws, could undermine the rule of law.

The Jerusalem Post

Narrative B

Europe cannot continue to dismiss Wilders' platform as rhetorical intolerance and extremism. His political arguments have clearly resonated with the electorate, and the EU has contributed to his success at the ballot box by failing to take seriously voters' concerns about immigration and security. Even if Wilders' words are distasteful or even intolerant, they've been prompted by instances of violent crime that have struck fear into the Dutch electorate.