ABSTRACT
“Islamophobia” in the western world is not only considered as a fear and disliking towards Muslims but also a concept that involves the complete erasure of Muslims by western society. The international media is considered a major collaborator in keeping Islamophobia the most prevalent issue in the western culture by directly attacking Muslim sentiments through state-based hate speeches or indirectly by projecting only the negative news of Muslims. Holland’s Mohammad Cartoon Competition once again processed a continuing conflict between the right of free speech and hate speech. The aim of this article is to analyse the Muhammad Cartoon Competition 2018 and Geert Wilders comments in the light of Holland’s hate speech provisions. The Holland cartoon contest will also be examined in light of past examples of racial and religious discrimination in Holland’s media against Islam in the name of free speech. The study intends to answer whether the Mohammad Cartoon Contest organized by Geert Wilders and his comments constitute hate speech according to the Dutch penal codes of Article 137c and 137d? The study uses the Methodology of Content analysis and an analysis of the Mohammad Cartoon Contest, Geert Wilder’s comments regarding it were made. In addition, a comparative analysis of the past cases of these legal violations in Holland was made in the study to draw up the results. Findings of the analysis suggest that most of the Geert Wilders comments and his organized cartoon contest qualify as hate speech according to all the clauses of article 137c and 137d of hate speech. However, keeping in consideration the previous trials against Geert Wilders and him not being convicted renders Dutch hate speech laws questionable. This brings us to conclude that there is a dire need to clarify and amend Holland’s hate speech laws.
