Fourteen Muslim organizations in the Netherlands have filed a joint criminal complaint against far-right Freedom Party (PVV) leader Geert Wilders, accusing him of inciting hatred and discrimination against Muslims.
In a written statement, Muslim Rights Watch – one of the signatory groups – said the complaint accuses Wilders of “insulting a group, inciting hatred, discrimination and violence, and provoking hostility and social unrest.”
The filing follows a post Wilders shared on social media last week featuring an image that the groups say fuels anti-Muslim sentiment and discrimination. The image portrays Muslims as “dangerous and unwanted people,” showing the left half of a young, blonde woman to symbolize “good” and the right half of an angry, elderly, headscarf-wearing woman to symbolize “evil.”
The statement said Wilders’ intent was clearly to incite hatred and discrimination against Muslims, noting the imagery closely resembles Nazi propaganda used during World War II to depict Jews as “inhuman, threatening and unwanted.” The groups emphasized that Muslims are an inseparable part of Dutch society.
According to local media, the complaint was filed on behalf of the 14 organizations by Turkish lawyer Adem Çatbaş and lawyer Harun Raza.
Wilders, notorious for his anti-Islam rhetoric, has a long history of inflammatory remarks targeting Muslims and Islam. He has called for banning the Quran, shutting down mosques, and has described Islam as a “totalitarian ideology.” His far-right PVV emerged as the largest party in the Dutch general elections in 2023, sparking concerns among rights groups over the normalization of Islamophobia in the country.
A divisive radical politician, Wilders was found guilty of discrimination in 2016 over comments he made against Moroccans living in the Netherlands and has previously likened the Quran to Adolf Hitler's "Mein Kampf," saying both books should be banned.
He was forced to shelve plans for a cartoon competition of the Prophet Mohammed in 2018 after receiving death threats.
Wilders previously posted a video saying “stop Islam, stop Ramadan.”
“Islam does not belong in the Netherlands,” Wilders said.
