Dutch Paedophile Party Wins Legal Challenge
Voters must decide, says Netherlands court:
A Dutch court rejected an attempt by anti-paedophile campaigners to ban the Brotherly Love, Freedom and Diversity party (PNVD), which wants to cut the age of consent from 16 to 12 and to legalise child pornography. “The freedom of expression, the freedom of assembly and the freedom of association should be seen as the foundations of the democratic rule of law and the PNVD is also entitled to these freedoms,” the court in The Hague said in a statement.
The court declared that curbs on freedom of expression could only be applied where public order is at risk. “They [opponents of the party] only want to give expression to their moral concerns. That is far from being sufficient to outlaw a party. It is up to the voter to give a judgment on the arguments of political parties,” Judge H Hofhuis was quoted by the Dutch news agency ANP as telling the court.
