Two Pakistani Nationals Charged By Dutch Court Over Calls for Geert Wilders' Killing

A Dutch court said it had charged two Pakistani nationals on Wednesday over public calls for the murder of far-right leader Geert Wilders, who aims to lead a new government after his party won elections in November.

In a statement on Wednesday, the court said prosecutors had asked authorities in Pakistan to extradite the two suspects – aged 55 and 29 – to stand trial in the Netherlands. It said the two Pakistanis were suspected of publicly calling on people to kill Wilders and promising them a reward in the afterlife if they did so.

“The 55-year-old male is suspected of attempted instigation to murder a Dutch politician by calling on his following to act and stating that they will be rewarded in the afterlife,” the statement read. “The 29-year-old male is suspected of incitement to murder a Dutch politician by stating to his following that since the conviction of a Pakistani cricket for incitement, it is now up to them carry out the task.”

The Dutch Prosecution Service has sent a request for mutual legal assistance in criminal matters to the Pakistani authorities, requesting service of the summons to appear in court in both cases. The Dutch authorities have also requested the questioning of the suspects on the charges. Notably, there is no existing treaty between the Netherlands and Pakistan on the subject of mutual legal assistance in criminal matters. Treaties are usually based on the rule of reciprocity. It is not clear if the Pakistani authorities will execute the request in this specific case.

Earlier in September, a Dutch court sentenced a Pakistani former cricketer to 12 years in prison after he was tried in absentia for publicly urging people to kill Wilders. “I hope they (two suspects) will be extradited, convicted and jailed!” Wilders wrote in a post on X. The court scheduled its first hearing on the case for Sept. 2.