Amsterdam judge victim of doxing after overturning Islamic preachers' entry ban
The District Court of Amsterdam has filed a criminal complaint after personal details and photographs of a judge and his partner were shared on X over the weekend. The doxing incident followed his ruling that allowed three Islamic preachers to enter the Netherlands, despite a government-imposed travel ban.
The decision, issued Thursday, overruled the entry ban sought by Asylum Minister Marjolein Faber and Justice Minister David van Weel. The ruling quickly sparked controversy, and by the weekend, images of the judge and his partner were circulating on social media.
“Court rulings are reasoned to ensure accountability, and people are free to respond to them. But in this case, the focus has shifted to the judge and his family, which is deeply concerning,” Bart van Meegen, president of the Amsterdam court, told AT5. “This is absolutely unacceptable and can seriously undermine trust in the judiciary. We are on a completely wrong path, and that is why we have filed a complaint.”
Under Dutch law, doxing—defined as collecting or sharing personal data such as addresses or phone numbers to intimidate someone—has been illegal since last year. “This absolutely cannot happen and could be deeply damaging to trust in the judiciary, the judge involved, and his family,” Van Meegen said.
The case stemmed from a government decision last week to deny entry to three foreign Islamic speakers set to appear at the Ramadan Expo in Utrecht. Ministers Van Weel (VVD) and Faber (PVV) justified the ban by citing concerns over radicalization, stating that the preachers had made “reprehensible comments” about women and LGBTQ+ individuals. Additionally, one of the speakers was accused of downplaying Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, while another had previously “trivialized” sex with minors, according to the government.
“There is absolutely no place in the Netherlands for inciting hatred or condoning violence,” Van Weel said at the time. “Our defenses must be as strong as possible to keep hatred, aggression, and the glorification of violence out,” Faber added. “I don’t want them here, and I think most Dutch people don’t either.”
However, the court overturned the travel ban, ruling that the government had not provided enough evidence to justify barring the speakers.
“The judge provisionally finds that the minister has not provided adequate evidence that the arrival of the three speakers poses a threat to public order in the Netherlands,” the court stated.
Court documents revealed that the NCTV had determined there was insufficient evidence to classify two of the three preachers as extremists. The third preacher was accused of spreading disinformation and justifying acts of terrorism, but the NCTV noted that his statements needed to be considered in their full context.
