Dutch Deputy PM won't be prosecuted for saying anti-Semitism is part of Muslim culture

Deputy Prime Minister Mona Keijzer will not be prosecuted for saying that “hatred of Jews is almost part of the culture” in Islamic countries, the Amsterdam Court of Appeal ruled in a procedure trying to force prosecution. The BBB Minister of Housing now wants the Public Prosecution Service (OM) to clear her name, she told the Telegraaf.

Keijzer made her statement on the talk show Sophie & Jeroen on May 17th last year, before she was sworn in as Minister. In July, the OM dropped the case against her, saying that Keijzer was “in principle guilty” of group insult, but prosecution would be too much of an infringement of the right to freedom of expression for politicians.

An Afghan refugee living in the Netherlands took the matter to court, asking the court to force prosecution through an Article 12 procedure. The court now ruled against prosecuting Keijzer.

According to the judge, Keijzer made the statement as a politician within the political debate, which gives her more room. Like the OM, the judge said that Keijzer’s remarks were insulting. “But in the context, the insulting nature decreases,” a spokesperson of the court told the Telegraaf. The judge also took into account that Keijzer added on the talk show that her statement doesn’t apply to all Muslims.

Keijzer considers the ruling as reason enough for the OM to adjust its official reason for dropping the case against her. She wants the OM to drop the “guilty in principle” part of its decision.

“The truth cannot and may not be punishable,” the BBB politician told the newspaper. “Despite the fact that I was convinced that my statements were not punishable, this entire process still had an impact on me. This case affected me personally, my integrity, and my freedom of expression.”