Pakistani man to be prosecuted for offering €21,000 bounty to kill Geert Wilders

The Dutch Public Prosecution Service (OM) will prosecute a Pakistani man for posting a video online in 2018 in which he offered around 21,000 euros for the murder of PVV leader Geert Wilders. The OM is charging the 37-year-old man with an attempt to provoke murder, sedition, and threats.

The OM submitted a legal request to the Pakistani authorities to serve the summons to the suspect. The Netherlands does not have a legal assistance treaty with Pakistan. “It is, therefore, uncertain whether Pakistan will cooperate,” the OM said, adding that the country ignored a previous request to question the suspect.

According to the OM, tracking down and prosecuting online threats is very complicated. Most such threats happen through social media, and identifying the person behind an account requires the help of social media companies. “Sometimes they cooperate, sometimes they don’t.” Most cases also require further investigation in a suspect’s home country to establish that they posted the threat. “Without a legal assistance treaty, there is very little chance that the local authorities will cooperate.”

“However, in this particular case, the suspect is identifiable,” the OM said. “He is a famous person in his own country. As a result, the Dutch police recognized him in the images.” The OM summoned the man to appear in court on August 29. He will be tried in absentia if he fails to appear.

The threat was posted online around the time that Wilders was trying to organize a competition for the best cartoon featuring the prophet Mohammed. That sparked outrage in the Islamic community, as the religion does not allow the religious figure to be depicted. Wilders eventually called off the competition due to threats against him.