Political Persecution

5 December 2023 was Pepijn van Houwelingen's last day as a member of parliament.

On 6 December he was summoned to appear in court. 

So said the summons from the public prosecutor's office that dropped onto Van Houwelingen's doormat some time ago.

It is so absurd that it is almost unbelievable: Van Houwelingen has to 'answer' for his work as a member of parliament. 

At the very last minute, our lawyer managed to postpone the political trial against Van Houwelingen, which was actually supposed to start on 6 December. But the public prosecutor led by Dilan Yeşilgöz (the VVD Minister of Justice) is not letting up and is pressing ahead with the prosecution.

Van Houwelingen is charged with having made a 'written insult' of health minister Ernst Kuipers (D66). With a tweet from a year ago, he allegedly defamed his "honour and good name".

Van Houwelingen is known as a strong critic of Kuipers' Covid policy and has exposed several abuses in his ministry. Now that, to our great regret, he has not been re-elected, the prosecution smells blood.

Let there be no doubt: this is pure intimidation by the establishment. The judiciary is being used to silence political opposition. It is unworthy of a democracy. 

It is crucial not to drop Van Houwelingen now. We are eternally grateful to him for his sharp criticism of Covid policy. He has always kept his back straight and stood up for our fundamental rights like no other. Now it is time to give something back.

The best way to support Van Houwelingen is to become a member of our party. Or by making someone else a member if you are already a member. That way, we can give him the legal defence he deserves - and, through political and social means, launch an attack on the cartel that has held our country in its grip for years.