09 Aug 2024 | The Ministry of Foreign Affairs deplores parliamentarian Geert Wilders’ call for the Koran to be banned. Foreign minister Maxime Verhagen said Mr Wilders’ comments were reprehensible.

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‘Freedom of religion, like freedom of expression, is one of the foundations of our constitutional democracy,’ Mr Verhagen said. The government will not consider a ban on the Koran in the Netherlands, now or in the future. Freedom of religion in the Netherlands means that Islam is treated the same as all other religions. Mr Wilders’ remarks in no way reflect the opinion of the Dutch government. Moreover, his remarks are an insult to the great majority of Muslims, both in and outside the Netherlands.