{"id":52830,"date":"2021-02-16T16:50:23","date_gmt":"2021-02-16T20:50:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/?p=52830"},"modified":"2021-02-16T17:15:53","modified_gmt":"2021-02-16T21:15:53","slug":"huge-win-for-we-the-people-the-hague-rules","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/?p=52830","title":{"rendered":"HUGE WIN FOR WE THE PEOPLE<\/i>: The Hague Rules"},"content":{"rendered":"

“Far-Reaching Violation”: Dutch Govt Ordered To Lift ‘Illegitimate’ Pandemic Curfew By Hague Court<\/h1>\n

ZeroHedge.com<\/p>\n

A top court in The Hague issued a “shock” ruling that curbs the power of civic authorities to impose sweeping coronavirus-related curfews which should have significant reverberations legally for similar scenarios in other countries.<\/p>\n

“The curfew must be lifted immediately,”<\/strong>\u00a0the court said in a statement, underscoring that the Dutch government is\u00a0abusing its powers by violating\u00a0freedom of movement and assembly<\/strong>\u00a0in particular. The pandemic curfew must be reversed immediately, the government has been told, which comes after weeks of fierce protests by an angry population which seems to have rejected it in unison.<\/p>\n

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In the official court\u00a0statement<\/a>, the Hague deemed the invocation\u00a0of the Extraordinary Powers of Civil Authority Act to impose a national curfew is not justified on the basis of the COVID-19 emergency. The law allows the government to circumvent normal legislative channels to impose curfew in “very urgent and exceptional circumstance”.<\/p>\n

“The curfew is\u00a0a far-reaching violation of the right to freedom of movement and privacy<\/strong>\u00a0and (indirectly) limits, among other things, the\u00a0right to freedom of assembly and demonstration<\/strong>,” The Hague\u00a0court said<\/a>.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

“The Preliminary Relief Judge ruled that the introduction of the curfew did not involve the special urgency required to be able to make use of the [act],”\u00a0the Hague said. One key issue cited is that the government had plenty of time to discuss and consider such a curfew through the normal legislative process, thus\u00a0“the use of this law to impose curfew is not legitimate,”<\/strong>\u00a0according to the ruling.<\/p>\n

The Netherlands’ curfew had been among the most draconian in Europe and the world. While early in the pandemic during the first wave of lockdowns a number of countries had imposed such curfews, since January 23 Dutch citizens were\u00a0ordered to remain home between the hours of 9pm and 4:30am<\/strong>, which would result in steep fines if violated. It was to be in effect until March 2.<\/p>\n