For those who do not know: earlier this year the Court in Amsterdam ruled in favor of Ayaan’s neighbors – in appeal – when they stated that Ayaan’s presence in their appartment building was threatening their own (sense of) safety and that she, therefore, should move. As should be obvious, Ayaan was in a protection program from the Dutch government due to the serious death threats she received (one of them being put on Theo van Gogh’s body by his murderer, Mohammed Bouyeri).
NOS Journal now reports that the Dutch Supreme Court has ruled that the Court of Amsterdam (Court of Appeals) has to revise its earlier decision. In the opinion of the DSC, the CoA spent too little attention to the duty (responsibility) of the federal government to protect its citizens.
Another victory for Ayaan and for those of us who believe that we have to support those who have the courage to speak out against the unacceptable; no matter how aggressive the opposition.
Of course we cannot be sure that the Court of Amsterdam will change its earlier opinion completely, but it is a step towards the right direction. If the Supreme Court would have accepted the logic of the CoA, those who are now and in the future will be under government protection would have a terribly hard time finding a place where they can live (except for on a military base of course).
