News item | 19-12-2025 | 3:00 PM
Terrorism poses a serious threat to the democratic constitutional state and the security of Dutch society. Terrorist and violent messages spread rapidly across the world, especially online. That is why the government has decided to criminalize glorifying terrorism and publicly expressing support for terrorist organizations. With these measures, the government wants to prevent terrorist messages from being normalized and society from being further undermined by terrorist influences. With the completion of the consultation phase, the bill will now go to the Council of State.
Minister Van Oosten of Justice and Security: “There is no room in the Netherlands for openly glorifying terrorist violence and publicly supporting terrorist organizations. Terrorist organizations do not only try to impose their ideology through the use of violence. Spreading violent messages is also used to gain more followers and to inspire people to support and participate in terrorist crimes. This bill draws a clear line: glorifying terrorist acts or expressing support for terrorist organizations is not acceptable and punishable.”
Consultation
The bill was put out for consultation in June this year. There appeared to be great involvement from many Dutch people and organizations with no fewer than 15,000 responses in the internet consultation. The responses also showed that there were questions about which behaviors are punishable. As a result, the provisions in the bill have been clarified. This now describes more specifically which actions are punishable. The explanatory memorandum also provides more examples of what is and what is not punishable. In addition, as a result of the consultation responses, freedom of expression was discussed in more detail, which received a lot of attention when drafting the bill.
Penalties
The bill provides for three criminal penalties. First of all, it will become a punishable offense to publicly praise or praise in public, for example through a speech, text or image, a committed terrorist offense for which a life sentence can be imposed, such as a terrorist attack that has resulted in deaths or injuries. This so-called glorification of terrorism can be punished with a prison sentence of up to three years or a large fine. Distributing material that glorifies terrorist violence, such as a video of an attack accompanied by praising comments, will also be made punishable. A prison sentence of up to two years or a fine can be imposed for this offense.
Finally, publicly expressing support for banned terrorist organizations will be made punishable. This may occur if someone in public waves flags of banned terrorist organizations, or wears clothing with certain symbols or logos of a banned terrorist organization, thereby encouraging others to share that organization’s goal of committing terrorist crimes. Expressing support in (social) media will also become a punishable offense. This offense also carries a maximum prison sentence of three years or a fine.