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DontLookBack -> A Plea from the International Free Press (1/23/2009 12:00:55 AM)
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A Dutch court
yesterday ordered the criminal prosecution of Geert Wilders, Dutch
parliamentarian and leader of the Freedom Party (PVV), for his statements -
written, spoken and filmed -regarding Islam. The Amsterdam Court of Appeals
has deemed such statements "insulting," declaring that they "substantially
harm the religious esteem" of Muslims.
Clearly, the effect of this Dutch court order is to set new limits to public
debate in Dutch society, in this case about the highly controversial but
nonetheless crucially important subject of Islam. This makes the
prosecution of Geert Wilders an unacceptable breach of the sanctity of
freedom of speech in Western society.
Having ordered a criminal prosecution for the opinions of a duly elected
leader of a legitimate political party, Dutch authorities have dealt a
devastating blow to political expression. While Dutch prosecutors prepare
their indictment and Geert Wilders' future hangs in limbo, who in The
Netherlands will dare discuss political and cultural matters related to
Islam - Islamic law, Islamic integration, Islamic crime, Islamic policy -
openly, freely and fearlessly? The chilling effect is instantaneous. If,
indeed, Wilders is ultimately convicted, free speech will cease to exist in
the heart of Europe.
The International Free Press Society believes this court-ordered prosecution
against Geert Wilders, a central figure in the fight against the
Islamization of the West, amounts to a dangerous concession to the
strictures of Islamic law, which prohibits all criticism of Islam, over
Western traditions of, and rights to robust and unfettered debate. As such,
it is tantamount to a surrender to totalitarian influences that undermine
all Western freedoms. And as such, it must be resisted.
It is important to recall recent history. Two Dutchmen, Pim Fortuyn and Theo
van Gogh, have been murdered for their outspoken opposition to Islamization
in The Netherlands. Another Dutch politician, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, has been
infamously forced into exile. Wilders alone now carries this debate over
Islam in Dutch society forward - forcefully but logically, outspokenly but
reasonably, and always peacefully. In order to do so, this member of Dutch
parliament lives in a virtual prison, consigned to 24-hour guard by Islamic
death threats against his life. Now, Dutch authorities have ordered him to
be prosecuted for the Orwellian crime of committing "insulting" words.
As Wilders puts it, "If I have to stand trial, I will not stand trial alone,
but also with the hundreds of thousands of Dutch people who reject the
Islamization of The Netherlands." He will also stand trial with those in The
Netherlands and beyond who reject government prosecutions of free speech. In
recognition of this this dire situation, the IFPS immediately calls on every
supporter of free speech to come to the aid of Geert Wilders.To assist in
this effort, the IFPS has launched an international campaign in defense of
Geert Wilders and his freedom of speech.[/link]
We also urge defenders of free speech to sign this letter of protest against
the Dutch Government
[link=http://www.petitiononline.com/wilders/petition.html]http://www.petitiononline.com/wilders/petition.html
Lars Hedegaard
President of the IFPS
[Mod Note: email address removed]
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