Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) chief Hafiz Saad Hussain Rizvi and the leader of the breakaway faction Tehreek-i-Labbaik Ya Rasool Allah, Dr. Muhammad Ashraf Jalali, were tried in absentia on Monday at a high-security court in the Netherlands. The trial centers on their alleged attempts to incite the murder of far-right Dutch politician Geert Wilders, known for his anti-Islam views.
Dutch prosecutors have charged 56-year-old Jalali with incitement to murder, accusing him of urging his followers to kill Wilders, promising them rewards in the afterlife. Rizvi is similarly suspected of calling for the assassination of Wilders after Pakistani cricketer Khalid Latif was sentenced to 12 years in prison for a similar offense.
During the trial, which took place at a highly secure courthouse near Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport, Wilders addressed the court, stating, “This case has had a huge impact on me and my family. I’m asking this court to send a strong signal … that calling a fatwa in this country is unacceptable.”
Dutch authorities had requested legal assistance from Pakistan to question the suspects and demand their appearance in court. However, due to the absence of a mutual legal assistance treaty between the two countries, neither Rizvi nor Jalali appeared in court, and neither had legal representation present.
The public prosecutor has called for a 14-year prison sentence for Jalali, citing his influence in Pakistan and his alleged intent to have Wilders killed. The hearing against Rizvi is scheduled to begin later today, with a verdict expected on September 9.
The TLP, known for its massive street protests over blasphemy allegations, has previously brought tens of thousands of people to the streets, most notably after the Paris-based satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo republished blasphemous caricatures in 2020.
Wilders, who has been under 24-hour state protection since 2004 due to ongoing death threats, stated that he planned the contest to assert freedom of speech, which he feels has been denied to him due to the continuous threats on his life. “Fatwas are the worst of all. They never go away. I still receive death threats on a daily basis,” he added.
