1 July 2008

THE HAGUE - Dutch Chief Public Prosecutor Leo de Wit told the Dutch media on Monday he will not prosecute legislator Geert Wilders for remarks he made about Islam.

Wilders made his remarks in the Dutch media and in his political film Fitna released late March.

Attorney Els Lucas and a number of Muslims filed a complaint with the police last summer after Wilders publicly called the Koran a "fascist book." They requested the public prosecutor prosecute Wilders.

But following months of research, the Justice Ministry found the leader of the Dutch Freedom party (PVV) did not violate Dutch discrimination legislation nor did he incite to violence, even though several of his remarks were "offensive to Muslims".

The chief prosecutor also said Wilders' remarks referred to Islam as a religion and not to Muslims as individuals.

Lucas and the group of Muslims said they would now request the Dutch court go through a special legal procedure, called "Article 12," to force the justice department to prosecute Wilders after all.

[dpa / Expatica]