MIDDLE EAST: Maker of Dutch film "Fitna" to face trial

The movie provoked anger among Muslims all over the world last year. 

But the Dutch maker of “Fitna,” a short film that equated Islam with terrorism, had managed to escape legal troubles.

No longer.

The right-wing lawmaker Geert Wilders will have to answer to a Dutch court for what advocates said were his statements that incited hatred and discrimination against Muslims.

The Amsterdam appeals court on Wednesday issued a written judgment ordering prosecutors to put Wilders on trial:

By attacking the symbols of the Muslim religion, he also insulted Muslim believers.... In a democratic system, hate speech is considered to be so serious that it is in the general interest to ... draw a clear line.

In remarks he made to the Dutch Volkskrant newspaper, Wilders had compared Islam to Nazism and called for the religion’s holy book, the Koran, to be banned in the Netherlands, like Hitler's "Mein Kampf."

His 15-minute film "Fitna" aired on the Internet in March 2008. It tried to show that Islam inspires its followers to commit acts of violence against adherents of other faiths, particularly Jews. 

Muslims around the world complained that the movie desecrated their faith. But the Dutch public prosecutor ruled last year after six months of investigations that Wilders had not committed any offense punishable by law.

The appeals court disagreed, approving a prosecution.

In an interview with the Israeli daily Haaretz published Friday, Wilders expressed fear of being jailed and said the decision was strictly political:

Things are not looking good for me. In its 33-page ruling ordering my prosecution, the appeals court already determined I was guilty. Now the case will be reviewed by a lower court and there's every chance the judge will align his ruling with the appeals courts....  I hope this thing doesn't end behind bars.

Muslims, mostly from Turkey and Morocco, constitute around 6% of the Dutch population.

In recent years, relations between the country's Muslims and the rest of the population have soured, especially after the assassination of Dutch director Theo van Gogh in Amsterdam in 2004. He had expressed views critical of Islam.

-- Raed Rafei in Beirut

Photo: Dutch politician Geert Wilders talking to the press at his office in The Hague on Wednesday. Wilders, who has made a short film accusing the Koran of inciting violence, must be prosecuted for anti-Islam comments, an Amsterdam court announced. Credit: Robert Vos / EPA

Comments

[melodylane]

I see nothing of peace in any Muslim nation. I see nothing of freedom in any Muslim nation. A nation of peace and freedom does not dictate how one prays, who one prays to, how one dresses nor eats. It does not designate its laws based on one religion nor belief system. It allows votes to be cast by individuals with private votes and public counting. It does not kill and riot if it does not like the result...many of us did not believe Bush won but we did not kill each other and waited, then votied out his party legally and democratically. We did not do so to back the support of killing another religion nor supporting one religion. We did so for the support of all the people regardless of color or religion.

[NG]

Hello all--
I wrote on my blog yesterday about this situation. There is a great deal to this story and I hope this opens us to discuss and debate. I am a liberal and progressive populist, but I agree with Mr. Wilder's statements. If you have time, please, please read the latest 2 entrys on this blog http://democraticpopulist.wordpress.com/

We need to stop being afraid of this topic, even if it is not politically-correct.

Thank you.

[Thorum]

Ameneh | January 23, 2009 at 10:32 PM wrote: "those who do acts of violence in the name of islam have no intention but to defame this sacred religion."

I might add, that Mohammad then had no intention but to defame Islam as he was one of the most violent Muslims ever.

[daniel hamilton]

Those actually seeking to jail him are secularist liberals, who have no objective moral authority, but do what seems "reasonable" to them.

Islam does have an objective moral authority, but it was written by a man who evidently could not read, and received distorted recollections of the Bible which it radically contradicts, and incorporated much of 7th century Arabic culture, and with his own "revelations" from below, produced the Quran.

The latter most assuredly does promote retaliation and religious violence, and though it is usually in the context of war, yet unlike the New Testament, it lacks the necessary context to produce a coherent doctrine of the use of physical religious warfare that would refute radical Islam, and at worst it supports it. See http://peacebyjesus.witnesstoday.org/JESUS.Vs.Muhammad.html

I choose to follow Jesus, who saves sinners on His own expense.

[Alex S]

Therefore, Prof Richard Dawkins must also be prosecuted for insulting Christianity with even worst words.

[T]

I'm glad there is still freedom of speech in the USA. Going to prison for art or speech is ridiculous even if it is risqué, controversial, or involves religion. Christianity is on occasion, attacked in various medias and hate speech isn't applied in those cases. I suppose the time for fear of extreme Christians has passed and now leaders fear extreme Islamists.

[deutscherdave]

Ameneh | January 23, 2009 at 10:32 PM wrote: "those who do acts of violence in the name of islam have no intention but to defame this sacred religion."

Then why haven't the muslim complaintants in this case directed their anger at all the Imams in Holland calling for violence (beheadings of politicians, flogging of women, stoning of homosexuals, etc.) if this is "defaming" Islam? Such protests have never occurred ... never will. Pure 2-faced taqiya.

[deutscherdave]

Neil H | January 23, 2009 at 10:34 PM wrote: "I'm not sure if Wilders really understands this whole "freedom of speech" thing he's invoking to defend his film. Censorship for Muslims but not for anti-Muslims?"

He understands it relative to the common European understanding. Here in the US, people can be (but rarely are) arrested for incitement to riot, murder, overthrow the government, etc. In Europe, the same applies to writings. While such calls are frequently made by European Imams based on the Koran and Hadith, none have been censored...much less arrested.

[Neil H]

'Wilders had compared Islam to Nazism and called for the religion’s holy book, the Koran, to be banned in the Netherlands, like Hitler's "Mein Kampf."'

I'm not sure if Wilders really understands this whole "freedom of speech" thing he's invoking to defend his film. Censorship for Muslims but not for anti-Muslims?

[Ameneh]

He has not said the truth about islam in his film. if you like to know the truth of islam, you may visit this website:
http://www.islamwomen.org. in fact, islam is not what he has portryed in his film. islam respects all other religions and faiths including judaism. muslims are not terrorist. those who do acts of violence in the name of islam have no intention but to defame this sacred religion.
O God, guide us in the straight path.....

[Thorum]

The Islamization of the West continues with scant resistance. We need to stand strong here in the US against this invasion. The war begun by Mohammad 1400 years ago continues and it isn't looking too good for the West. Support the defense of Geert at http://www.petitiononline.com/wilders/petition.html

[Irina]

Europeans became too SOFT, doormats, ashamed of being themselves. And European liberal politicians are signing their death warrants in defense of Islam.
Islamic takeover of the continent is more than a tragedy. ''Those whom the Gods wish to destroy they first make mad.''

W. Churchill wrote:
“There is a deep and instructive similarity between the Nazis and the Islamic-fascist forces that attacked then and attack today. The fact of the matter is that even more important than invoking the famous British ‘stiff upper lip,’ to fight this current war to victory requires understanding and accepting the similarities between the Nazis and the Arab-Islamic terrorist armies.”

Now, in 2009, he would have been prosecuted along with Geert :)

[Irina]

I hope he will be freed.

I hope Europe will wake up and defend her citizen who just was saying the truth.

I hope people will realize what's going on and stop the Islamisation of the West.