Amsterdam: The Dutch anti-Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders returns to court on Monday as a second set of judges considers how his trial for alleged hate speech should continue.
Wilders has risen to a position of power, propping up a minority conservative Cabinet, on a platform of demanding an immigration freeze and blunt measures forcing Muslim immigrants to integrate. He faces charges for remarks including comparing Islam to Nazism and calling for a ban on the Quran.
His trial has proved a debacle as prosecutors conceded their case was weak and a first panel of judges was dismissed in October to prevent the appearance of bias at the Amsterdam District Court. An appeals judge involved in the case had spoken to a witness shortly before the trial.
Bureau Report
First Published: Monday, February 07, 2011, 15:26