Netherlands / District Court Midden-Nederland / Case no. 16/652077-16 ECLI:NL:RBMNE:2016:5414

Country

Netherlands

Title

Netherlands / District Court Midden-Nederland / Case no. 16/652077-16

ECLI:NL:RBMNE:2016:5414

View full Case

Year

2016

Decision/ruling/judgment date

Wednesday, October 12, 2016

Incident(s) concerned/related

Incitement to violence or hatred

Related Bias motivation

Religion

Groups affected

Muslims

Court/Body type

National Court

Court/Body

District Court Midden-Nederland (Rechtbank Midden-Nederland)

Key facts of the case

On 11 October 2015 during a Pegida demonstration a woman said during her speech: "Another reason to despise and hate Muslims is their insane ideology. Because it's never the religion of peace." She placed her speech in written form on het Facebook-page. The Court decided that that the woman has been publicly guilty of insult, incitement to hatred, and the discrimination of Muslims. The court sentenced the woman for insulting a group and inciting hatred and discrimination against Muslims. She was sentenced to a fine of 1000 euro, of which 50% was conditional.

Main reasoning/argumentation

The court decided that the accused made public statement inciting hatred and discrimination of Muslims.

Is the case related to the application of the Framework Decision on Racism and Xenophobia, the Racial Equality Directive?

Key issues (concepts, interpretations) clarified by the case

This verdict clarifies that public statements expressing hatred of Muslims and/or inciting discrimination of Muslims carry a penalty under Dutch criminal law.

Results (sanctions, outcome) and key consequences or implications of the case

Making public statements insulting and inciting

Key quotation in original language and its unofficial translation into English with reference details

"Verdachte gebruikt in haar uitlating letterlijk de woorden “verachten” en “haten” en maakt daarbij anders dan door de verdediging is betoogd, geen onderscheid tussen religie en ideologie. Deze termen zijn, zeker in combinatie gebruikt, zo krachtig dat daarmee aangezet wordt tot haat. Door de uitlating van verdachte worden moslims als groep weggezet en in een kwaad daglicht gesteld.De rechtbank acht derhalve wettig en overtuigend bewezen dat verdachte zich in het openbaar schuldig heeft gemaakt aan het aanzetten tot haat tegen en de discriminatie van moslims wegens (ten minste: mede) hun godsdienst."

"The accused literally uses the words "despise “and "and hate" and makes no distinction between religion and ideology as argued by the defence. These terms, especially used in combination, are so powerful that they incite to hate. The statement of the accused puts Muslims as a group in bad daylight. The court therefore decides that the suspect is guilty of inciting hatred and discrimination against Muslims because of (at least: in part) their religion."

DISCLAIMERThe information presented here is collected under contract by the FRA's research network FRANET. The information and views contained do not necessarily reflect the views or the official position of the FRA.