According to a decision by the Dutch supreme court, insulting Islam does not automate offense to all Muslims. The court’s decision is of great importance for approaching the criminal case against Geert Wilders. The verdict by the court concerned a man who hung a poster in his window saying “stop the tumor called Islam.”
A Ben Bosch district court said that the poster was “insulting for a group of people due to their religion… concerning the strong connection between Islam and its believers.” In an appeal to the supreme court, the man was acquitted, saying that if you insult a religion, this does not mean one is insulting its followers as well.
The court’s reasoning sets an important standard ahead of Wilders’ trial for “insulting a group of people because of their faith.” However, the decision is not related to the “inciting hatred” offense for which Wilders’ is also being put on trial for.
