News item | 20-06-2025 | 15:20
Terrorism is a serious threat to the democratic constitutional state and the safety of Dutch society. Terrorist groups do not only try to impose their ideology on the use of violence and disrupt our society. They also spread – online – intolerant and violent messages to get more supporters of the terrorist ideas, which are thereby inspired and in turn spread such messages. That is why the Council of Ministers has agreed to consult a bill that aims to make the glorifying of terrorism and to express support to terrorist organizations in public. With this proposal, the Minister of Justice and Security wants to put Paal en Perk on openly glorifying terrorist violence and the public supporting of terrorist organizations.
Weel of Justice and Security Minister: “Terrorist and violent messages spread, certainly through social media, at lightning speed all over the world. Terrorist groups try to attract others in a dangerous ideology. The spread of these messages, for example by waving with the flag of forbidden terrorist organizations, can therefore be made for supporting or ultimately ripe for others. To make terrorism and openly supporting terrorist organizations, with a strong matching penalty.
The bill provides for 3 new offenses. First of all, it becomes punishable in public, for example through a speech, text or image, to praise or praise a terrorist crime for which a lifelong imprisonment can be imposed, such as a terrorist attack in which killing and injured people have fallen. This so -called glorifying terrorism can be punished with a prison sentence of a maximum of 3 years or a high fine. The distribution of material in which terrorist violence is glorified, such as a video of an attack with praising comments, is also punishable. A prison sentence of a maximum of 2 years or a fine can be imposed for this offense.
In addition, expressing support to prohibited terrorist organizations is made punishable in public. This can be the case if someone waves in public with flags of forbidden terrorist organizations, or wearing clothing with certain symbols or logos of a forbidden terrorist organization. Pronouncing support in the (social) media is also punishable. A 3 -year -old penalty or a fine also applies to this behavior. With these measures, the government wants to prevent terrorist messages from being normalized and that society is further undermined by terrorist influences.