Hate crime legislation in the Netherlands
Criminal Code of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (1881, as amended 2024)
(Unofficial translation, emphasis added)
Excerpt related to Hate crimes
Article 44bis
If an offence is committed with a discriminatory intention or consists of, is preceded, accompanied or followed by acts that express hatred against or discrimination of a group of people because of their race, their religion or beliefs, their sex, their sexual orientation or their handicap, the temporary imprisonment or detention imposed on that act may be increased by a third.
Excerpts related to Hate speech offences
Article 137c
1. Any person who in public, either verbally or in writing or through images, intentionally makes an insulting statement about a group of persons because of their race, religion or beliefs, their hetero- or homosexual orientation or their physical, mental or intellectual disability, shall be liable to a term of imprisonment not exceeding one year or a fine of the third category.
2. If the offence is committed by a person who makes a profession or habit of it or by two or more persons in concert, a term of imprisonment not exceeding two years or a fine of the fourth category shall be imposed.
Article 137d
1. Anyone who publicly, orally or in writing or image, incites hatred or discrimination against men or violence against person or property on the grounds of their race, religion or beliefs, their gender, their heterosexual or homosexual orientation or their physical, psychological or mental, shall be punished with imprisonment not exceeding one year or fine of the third category.
2. If it is committed by a person who makes a profession or habit or by two or more persons shall be imprisonment not exceeding two years or a fine of the fourth category.
Section 137e
1. Any person who, for any reason other than the provision of factual information:
1°. makes public a statement which he knows or should reasonably suspect to be insulting to a group of persons because of their race, religion or beliefs, their hetero- or homosexual orientation or their physical, mental or intellectual disability, or incites hatred of or discrimination against persons or violence against their person or property because of their race, religion or beliefs, their sex, their hetero- or homosexual orientation or their physical, mental or intellectual disability;
2°. sends or distributes, without request, an object which he knows or should reasonably suspect to contain such a statement to another person, or has such object in store for public disclosure or distribution;
shall be liable to a term of imprisonment not exceeding six months or a fine of the third category.
2. If the offence is committed by a person who makes a profession or habit of it or by two or more persons in concert, a term of imprisonment not exceeding one year or a fine of the fourth category shall be imposed.