The radical Islamic group Hizb ut-Tahrir started a campaign urging Dutch Muslims not to vote in the parliamentary elections (June 9th), the organization announced on a special website they set up for this.
This article was prepared by the Islam in Europe blog - islamineurope.blogspot.com
The site has articles and clip which argue why Muslims shouldn't vote. Additionally, Hizb ut-Tahrir handed out flyers at a number of mosques urging Dutch Muslims not to vote.
The group says there's no political candidate which promised Muslims something good, while Muslim Dutch would legitimize the results of the elections by voting. "We say that your participation in these elections will not stop the evil. Nothing good will come to Muslims from it."
Hizb ut-Tahrir is a political group which strives for one Islamic state. The organization has branches in dozens of countries, and also has a small branch in the Netherlands. In many countries in the Muslims world, as well as in several European countries, the group is banned.
The Council of Moroccan Mosques in North Holland is urging Muslims to go out and vote. This appeal will be mentioned during the upcoming Friday sermon in the 18 member mosques of the umbrella organization.
"The Council of Moroccan Mosques in North Holland encourages the faithful in the member mosques and all Muslims in the Netherlands, to make use of their democratic rights in the Netherlands and to vote for a party and person of their choice," the organization said in a statement.
The council asks all other mosques and Muslim organizations in the Netherlands to urge their followers to go vote.
According to a spokesperson for the Dutch Electoral Council, the law says nothing about urging people not to vote. "You can't force people to vote or not to vote, but about appeals, it doesn't say anything in the election law," says the spokesperson.
Source: Telegraaf (Dutch)
See also: Netherlands: Get out the Moroccan vote
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