Dutch prosecutors seek 14-year sentence for Ashraf Asif Jalali over threats against Geert Wilders

Dutch prosecutors requested a 14-year prison sentence for Muhammad Ashraf Asif Jalali, a Pakistani Muslim cleric accused of inciting the murder of Geert Wilders, a prominent anti-Islam lawmaker and leader of the party that won the Netherlands' last general election.

Jalali, who did not appear at the trial held in a heavily secured courtroom near Amsterdam on Monday, faces charges of using his religious platform to urge followers to execute Wilders by hanging or beheading. The defendant was not present as Pakistan does not have an extradition treaty with the country.

During the trial, Wilders addressed the court, describing the severe impact the threats have had on his life, which has been marked by intense security measures since 2004. 

“You wake up each day, travel to work in armoured vehicles with sirens blaring, and always carry the awareness that any day could be your last,” Wilders told the court. “I’m 60 now, and I haven’t known freedom since I was 40.”

A prosecutor, who requested anonymity due to security concerns, informed the judges that the threats against Wilders began circulating on social media following his 2018 announcement of a competition to draw cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). 

The proposed contest sparked widespread protests in Pakistan and other parts of the Muslim world. After facing intense backlash, Wilders cancelled the contest but continues to face the consequences of his actions, which he views as a defence of free speech.

These trials add to a series of legal actions in the Netherlands against individuals threatening Wilders, who has lived under constant police protection for nearly two decades due to his outspoken criticism of Islam. 

Last year, former Pakistani cricketer Khalid Latif was sentenced to 12 years in prison after allegedly offering a reward for Wilders’ assassination. Latif also did not attend his trial. 

In a separate 2019 case, another Pakistani man was arrested in the Netherlands, convicted, and sentenced to 10 years in prison for planning a terrorist attack against Wilders, often dubbed the “Dutch Donald Trump.”

In the past, Wilders' comments have also led to legal challenges in the Netherlands. In 2020, an appeals court upheld his conviction for insulting Moroccans during a 2014 election speech. 

However, no punishment was imposed, with the judge acknowledging the significant personal toll on Wilders, who has endured tight security for expressing his views.