The hate-motivated free speech trial against anti-Islamic Dutch parliamentarian Geert Wilders was resumed last Wednesday with the screening of his controversial film entitled Fitna. The short film unilaterally accuses Islam of "trying to destroy Western civilization".
The 17-minute long commentary film, one of the pieces of evidence in Wilders' trial charged with inciting hatred and discrimination against Muslims, was shown on a big screen in an Amsterdam district court.
One of the accusers, a woman, begged to be excused for playing what she told the panel of judges "I don't want to watch".
Threatened
Wilders, who will become a shadow partner of the next government, faces a year in prison or a fine of 7.600 euros for claims that casually call Islam "fascist" and refer to the holy Koran as Hitler's "Mein Kampt".
"Fitna", which sparked protests in many Muslim countries after being screened in the Netherlands in 2008, features an image of the Prophet Muhammad with a bomb ticking in his turban.
The problematic film alternates between images of terror attack victims accompanied by quotations from the Koran and imams allegedly encouraging the killing of non-Muslims.
The film ends with the words: "Islam wants to dominate, humiliate and destroy our Western civilization" and "Stop Islamization. Defend our freedom. "
Read out
Statements made by Wilders' accusers were read out in court footage Wednesday, the second day of the trial which was broadcast live on the Internet.
"As people and as a family, we no longer feel safe in the Netherlands," said one accuser.
“Pak Wilders prefers us to leave Dutch society. He harassed the Muslims into leaving. Soon our children will not be able to claim that they are Muslim or half Moroccan descent ”.
Wilders faces five charges for comments made in Dutch newspapers and on Internet forums between October 2006 and March 2008.
A seven-day trial has already been scheduled for October, with a verdict expected to be made on November 4.
Wilders' Party, Freedom Party (PVV) came in third in the June 9 national elections, and has now reached an agreement to support a new minority government of Christian Democracy and liberals in exchange for being given the right to determine policy making. (AFP / Analysis). *
