17 July 2006

AMSTERDAM — A court in The Hague had turned down a request to outlaw pro-paedophile party PNVD.

The ban was sought by the Soelaas foundation which investigates instances of paedophilia in the Netherlands.

But Judge HFM Hofhuis ruled that the PNVD has the same right to exist as any other political party. The court also took into account that Soelaas did not have a compelling and urgent interest to justify a ban.

"They (Soelaas) only want to give expression to their moral concerns. That is far from being sufficient to outlaw a party," Hofhuis said. Soelaas argued a preventative ban was needed to protect children from the PNVD.

There was an outcry in the Netherlands and abroad earlier this year when the party was formed by three self-confessed paedophiles to campaign for the legalisation of child porn and sex between adults and children.

The PNVD also seeks to allow teenagers older than 16 to act in porn movies, as long as the participation is voluntary. The age of consent should be cut from 16 to 12, the party says.

[Copyright Expatica News + ANP 2006]

Subject: Dutch news