Pakistan's Khalid Latif sentenced to 12 years imprisonment by Netherlands court for inciting violence

According to the court's findings, prosecutors successfully demonstrated that in 2018, Latif posted a video offering a reward of PKR 3 million (approximately EUR 21,000 at the time) for the assassination of a Dutch political leader

By Chandra Moulee Das Updated: Sep 11, 2023, 19:51 IST

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A Dutch court has sentenced former Pakistan cricketer Khalid Latif to 12 years in prison, convicting him for inciting violence against Dutch far-right leader Geert Wilders. The court found Latif guilty of charges including incitement to murder, sedition, and making threats.

Latif, currently residing in Pakistan, did not participate in any stage of the trial and has not been apprehended in the Netherlands. Notably, there are no existing treaties between the Netherlands and Pakistan for judicial cooperation or extradition. Previous requests for collaboration in this matter went unanswered, as stated by the prosecution.

According to the court's findings, prosecutors successfully demonstrated that in 2018, Latif posted a video offering a reward of PKR 3 million (approximately EUR 21,000 at the time) for the assassination of Wilders. This video was released during intense protests against Wilders in Pakistan, following his announcement of a cartoon contest featuring depictions of Prophet Mohammad, which was later cancelled.

In Islam, depictions of the Prophet Mohammad are strictly prohibited, and caricatures are widely considered deeply offensive by most Muslims.

Wilders has been living under continuous police protection

"The words used by the suspect are explicit: he promises to pay a considerable sum of money to anyone who engages in a specific act, namely the killing of Mr Wilders. It is very likely that someone - anywhere in the world - would feel compelled to act on this call," the Hague district court said.

Latif had previously received a five-year ban from cricket in 2017 due to his involvement in a spot-fixing scandal. Throughout his career, Latif played in five ODIs and 13 T20Is between 2008 and 2016.

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Wilders, aged 60, stands as one of Europe's leading far-right figures and has played a pivotal role in shaping the immigration discourse in the Netherlands. His Freedom Party (PVV) ranks as the third-largest party in the Dutch parliament and serves as the primary opposition party. Wilders has been living under continuous police protection since 2004.

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