Josephine Wenson | U. Pittsburgh School of Law, US
The Supreme Court of the Netherlands on Tuesday upheld politician Geert Wilders’ conviction for insulting Moroccans at a campaign rally in 2014.
In 2016, Geert Wilders was convicted of inciting discrimination after he promised to lower the number of Morrocans in the Netherlands at a political rally that occurred in March, 2014. Wilders’ supporters were chanting, “Fewer! Fewer! Fewer!” and Wilders responded, “We’re going to take care of that.”
After Wilders’ conviction, he demanded a retrial, arguing that the case had been politically motivated and the findings were a restriction of his freedom of speech.
Writing for the Supreme Court, Justice Vincent Van Den Brink found that Wilders’ rally speech was not covered by freedom of expression. “The fact that he spoke as a politician, who must have the freedom to raise matters of general concern, even if they are disturbing or hurtful, does not make this any different.” “Even a politician must abide by the basic principles of the rule of law and must not incite intolerance.”
Wilders did not receive a fine or jail time for this conviction and this decision by the Supreme Court cannot be appealed.
source ; .jurist.org/
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