The Netherlands-Freedom Of Speech: Royal Family Insult Case Sparks Outrage in Netherlands

A decision to drag a Dutch activist before a judge for insulting King Willem-Alexander has sparked outrage in liberal-minded Netherlands and prompted prosecutors to re-evaluate the case based on a century-old law.

Abulkasim al-Jaberi was arrested in November when television cameras showed him spouting a stream of profanity aimed at the king, Queen Maxima and the royal house.

Al-Jaberi was part of a demonstration in Amsterdam against the Dutch "Black Pete" children's figure, which opponents say is a racist throwback.

Al-Jaberi, a well-known critic of the black-faced sidekick that appears at the traditional gift-giving festival of Saint Nicholas, was handed a 500 euro ($568) fine afterwards. He refused to pay.

Prosecutors said on Wednesday that the activist would face trial based on a "lese-majeste" or "injured monarch" law harking back to 1881, which makes deliberately insulting the king or royal house punishable with a prison sentence of up to five years or a 20,000 euro fine.

The announcement sparked instant outrage in liberal Netherlands, which sees freedom of speech as a fundamental cornerstone.

An unknown person spray-painted Al-Jaberi's words on the Royal Palace in Amsterdam, while Twitter saw a stream of similar expletives being tweeted.

Online, in newspapers and even in parliament many denounced the lese-majeste law as archaic and hardly in tune with modern-day rights.

Prosecutors announced on Thursday that they were withdrawing the summons for Al-Jaberi's appearance in an Amsterdam court on May 27 "for further investigation," but the charge itself has not been dropped.

"The issue of freedom of expression is sensitive in the Netherlands. It's a very important fun
 damental right," Stef Ketelaar, a lawyer and historian who studied the lese-majeste laws told AFP.

Note EU-Digest : The Dutch legal system needs to be updated and archaic laws like  the "lese-majeste"should be removed from the books and while they are reviewing he laws they should also be looking into laws which put the Dutch Royal family in a priviledged position above those of  ordinary citizens. In case anyone forgot we are living in 2015 and not in the last century.

Read more: Royal Family Insult Case Sparks Outrage in Netherlands

The Netherlands: Dutch Prince Friso dies after year and half in coma

Dutch Prince Johan Friso has died after a year and a half in a coma following an accident at an Austrian ski resort, officials say.

Prince Friso, who was 44, was moved from hospital in London back to the Netherlands last month, but had since suffered complications.

He was hit by an avalanche in February 2012 and buried for 15 minutes.

King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima are said to be on their way home from a holiday in Greece.
"Prince Friso has died of complications related to the hypoxic brain injury, which he suffered as the result of his skiing accident in Lech, Austria on 17 February 2012," a royal palace statement said.

Read more: BBC News - Dutch Prince Friso dies after year in coma

Dutch royal family most expensive in Europe to local taxpayers

Queen Elizabeth II's cost to the taxpayer has fallen as result of austerity measures which have been deeper and faster than reductions to the Dutch monarchy's annual bill at a time when belt-tightening is affecting all of Europe's royal families.

Prof Matthijs's research found that the cost of British monarchy, praised as one of the most open about its finances, had been reduced by 16 per cent, falling from euro 42.12 million to eurom over the last year.

The euro 36.42 million Dutch bill for Queen Beatrix and her children, including euro 16.62m in personal allowances, is four times the cost of keeping the Spanish royal family, a country that is at heart of the eurozone's debt crisis.

Moreover, the burden to taxpayers of the Dutch royal family, Europe's most expensive, is proportionately heavier because the population of the Netherlands is almost a third of the size of Spain's and a mere quarter of Britain's.

Even though some Royalist might say that having a President would be more expensive than a King or Queen, the difference is that we usually can elect a President and also vote him or her out of office, while those who have a King or Queen are stuck with them, if they like it or not.

EU-Digest

Sombre outlook for Dutch Prince Friso

Doctors who have been treating Dutch Prince Johan Friso at a hospital in Innsbruck, Austria, said on Friday that the prognosis for his recovery is bleak. The prince has suffered severe brain damage after he was trapped under an avalanche while skiing one week ago.

He may never emerge from his coma. Even if he does regain consciousness, the doctors say any rehabilitation will take months if not years. The bad news about the Prince has shocked the country. During the week since the accident occurred, there has been hope that Friso could recover. That hope has now all but vanished.

Prime Minister Mark Rutte told Queen Beatrix by telephone that the Netherlands sympathizes deeply with the royal family. The Queen, for her part, said the family has been moved by all the reactions and comfort they have received from the Dutch public.

Sombre outlook for Dutch Prince Friso | Radio Netherlands Worldwide

Dutch Prince Friso's life remains in danger following avalanche

Prince Johan Friso of the Netherlands remained in critical condition Sunday, two days after he was buried by an avalanche in the Austrian resort of Lech.

“The health condition of his royal majesty Prince Friso remains unchanged,” at the intensive care unit of the Innsbruck University Hospital, the Royal Dutch House said in a statement. “He is stable, but not out of danger.” The statement added that a prognosis would most likely “not be given before the end of this week.”

The second son of Queen Beatrix was buried under 40 centimetres of snow for up to 20 minutes before he was pulled from the snow and resuscitated.

For more: World News: Dutch Prince Friso's life remains in danger following avalanche - thestar.com

The Netherlands: Dutch govt: queen's son's life still in danger - by George Jahn

The second son of Dutch Queen Beatrix spent a stable night in the hospital after he was seriously injured in an avalanche, but his life remains in danger, the Netherlands government said Saturday.

Prince Johan Friso, 43, was rushed to the intensive care unit of Innsbruck's main hospital Friday after he was buried under snow. He had been skiing off marked trails in the westernmost Lech winter sports region.

The statement Saturday said "his life is still in danger, but he had a calm and stable night."

For more: Dutch govt: queen's son's life still in danger - Houston Chronicle

Netherlands - Freedom of Speech - Queen Beatrix censored by Geert Wilders of the PVV ( Party of Freedom)

Dutch Queen Beatrix's annual Christmas speeches to the Nation are heavily censored, says theologian and poet Huub Oosterhuis, who is a friend of the Queen. Oosterhuis expressed concern in the popular television program Blue Blood that in her 2010 Christmas speech, the Queen had voiced concern about today's social polarization and political tensions in Dutch society, but was stopped from being more explicit by Geert Wilders' chairman of the anti-Islam PVV 'Freedom Party'.

The interview in the program 'Blue Blood' took place after Mr Oosterhuis and the Queen jointly opened a new multi-religious and cultural center in Amsterdam.

Mr Oosterhuis described the Queen as "a kindred spirit, regarding concern, civility, solidarity, respect and tolerance. That is what her speeches are about, unfortunately that is also what the present Dutch right-wing cabinet objected to, in particular the PVV of Wilders", he added.

When asked a spokeswoman for the Government Information Service declined to comment on Mr Oosterhuis' allegations.

EU-Digest

Netherlands: Remove queen from government, says Wilders

Queen Beatrix should no longer be officially part of the government, PVV leader Geert Wilders said during the debate on the new government on Tuesday.

Wilders, whose party has agreed to back the minority government in a number of policy areas, says he will introduce draft legislation in an effort to get the queen officially removed as head of state.

According to the Dutch constitution, the monarch is officially head of the government, but in practice, it is the prime minister (minister-president in Dutch) who leads. ‘We support the royal family. We are not republicans. But having the queen in the government is a bridge too far,’ Wilders said.

Note EU-Digest: Does this mean Wilders for President ??

For more: DutchNews.nl - Remove queen from government, says Wilders

Netherlands: "The Wilders Cabinet", a Ménage à trois or a one man show?

It looks like Geert Wilders (PVV), Mark Rutte (VVD),  and Maxime Verhagen of the CDA will  soon be forming a new Dutch right-wing cabinet  If it really happens, and no-one seems totally sure, it will be a first in Dutch political history where the controlling political faction ( PVV of Wilders) in this extraordinary coalition will be operating as an "outside supporter" of the government, but wielding most of the power

If this Wilders Cabinet comes about  it can only count on a majority of one, with the "de facto PM" Wilders still as free as a bird to spout all his one-liner derogatory comments around, but this time with the blessing of VVD's Mark Rutte and CDA's Maxime Verhagen.  One Dutch politician called this possible new coalition Government  a "Ménage à trois turning into a one man show".        ( Mark Rutte)
 
(Maxime Verhagen)  In a taste of what is to come Geert Wilders said he felt his party came under attack by the Dutch Queen when in a speech on the occasion of an annual Dutch ceremony celebrating the opening of the new parliamentary year, she referred to the need for a 'stable government' , interpreted by many as pointing the finger at Wilders.

In the speech, the queen also got into "hot water" again when she said: 'That requires give and take, tolerance and also adaptation. This is the responsibility of us all.'   Following the Queens remarks Wilders told the press: 'We have to get rid of this sort of political correctness.

' The queen's speech to Parliament, written by the outgoing PM Balkenende, also contained details of proposed budget cuts for the upcoming parliamentary year. Among the numerous budget cuts announced  it was also revealed that Dutch royalty is included in the "bite" of these budget cuts. Members of the royal family, other than the Queen and her direct heir, will now have have to pay inheritance and gift taxes, and  pay all expenses for personal travel.

EU-Digest

BBC /EU-Digest:Netherlands - 38 year old driver of car attack on Dutch royal parade dies - 6 killed

For the complete report from the BBC NEWS click on this link

Netherlands: Driver of Car attack on Dutch royal parade dies - 6 killed

Karst Tates, a 38-year-old Dutch national, was critically injured after his attempted attack on the Dutch royal family, and died in hospital overnight. His car crashed into a monument after ploughing through bystanders who were marking Queen's Day in Apeldoorn. The car narrowly missed a bus which was carrying Queen Beatrix and her family. His neighbours in the eastern town of Huissen told Radio Netherlands that he had worked as a security guard until a few months ago, when he was made redundant. They described him as a quiet, solitary man. "Recently, he informed me that he had been dismissed and could no longer pay the rent," his landlord, Sem Bosman, told De Telegraaf. "He was due to have come today to transfer the keys to a new tenant." Mr Tates had no criminal record or known mental health problems. So far a total of six people have died as a result of the assassination attempt including the assassin.

Assassination attempt on Dutch Royal Family - injuries as car crashes close to royal bus

EU-Digest

Assassination attempt on Dutch Royal Family - injuries as car crashes close to royal bus

At least 14 people have been injured in a serious incident during the Royal family's visit to Apeldoorn to celebrate Queen's Day. One person is said to have died. TV pictures show a heavily-damaged black car driving through the barriers erected to keep the crowd under control, close to the bus carrying queen Beatrix and the rest of her family. Nothing happened to the Royal family as the car missed its apparent target and ran into a fenced-off pillar.The Dutch tv said it is difficult to find out more about the incident because the use of mobile phones has been banned. All festivities have been canceled. The Royal family has retreated to their respective residence. There will be a press conference later today.