The Public Prosecution Office has once again requested an acquittal for Geert Wilders on all charges against him. The charges include insulting Muslims as a group, inciting hatred and inciting discrimination on the grounds of religion and race.
The Public Prosecution argues that Mr Wilders' comments may be experienced as insulting by certain groups, but they are directed at Islam as a religion and not at Muslims as a people. The PPO also argued that many of the comments were made in political debates. Mr Wilders' call to ban the Qur'an is on the edge of what is permissible, however, said the office.
The PPO made the same request at the first Wilders trial in October, shortly before defence lawyer Bram Moszkowicz accused the judges of bias. As a result, the judges were replaced and a retrial had to be called.
The PPO was reluctant to bring the case against Mr Wilders to trial, but was ordered to do so by an Amsterdam court.
The retrial began in February. Its first weeks have been dominated by the question of whether or not to try the controversial politician for his anti-Islam rhetoric. The judges, however, have ruled that the trial go ahead, dismissing Moszkowicz's claims the trial is unfair.
(nc/hs/kh)
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