A sign of things to come?
An op-ed in the American newspaper Washington Times wonders if the prosecution of Geert Wilders might not be a sign of things to come. That is, if the General Assembly of the United Nations and the Organization of the Islamic Conference have their way.
A film producer and also a member of parliament in the Netherlands - is facing a prison term there for "insulting" Muslims. His short film "Fitna" in 2008 juxtaposed verses from the Koran with scenes of violence committed by jihadist terrorists. The Dutch appellate court refused a free-speech defence because the insults were so egregious.
If convicted, Wilders faces a maximum sentence of two years in prison.
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What awaits Wilders in the Netherlands may be a harbinger of what will happen if a nonbinding Dec. 18 U.N. resolution, passed by a strong majority in the General Assembly, becomes international law. The resolution urges U.N. members to take state action against (punish) "defamation of religion" and "incitement to religious hatred" caused by defamation.
The main force behind this resolution, which was sponsored on its behalf, is the 57 members of the Organization of the Islamic Conference. Following the combustible cartoons of Prophet Muhammad that were published in Denmark in September 2005, this organization had a key role in expanding the violent protests against those cartoons in a number of countries.
Washington Times - The Cost of Criticizing Jihadists