Dutch Court To Rule Next Week On Covid Curfew

Dutch appeals judges said Friday they will rule in a week's time on whether to overturn a lower court's order for the government to scrap its coronavirus curfew

The Hague, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 19th Feb, 2021 ) :Dutch appeals judges said Friday they will rule in a week's time on whether to overturn a lower court's order for the government to scrap its coronavirus curfew.

The curfew, in place since January 23, looks set to stay in any case however as the government is pushing through a new law to reinstate it even if it loses the appeal.

The Dutch senate was due to vote on the matter on Friday, although that may now also be postponed until next week.

On Tuesday a lower court judge ordered the government to immediately lift the curfew, saying that such measures could only be used in sudden national emergencies such as a dyke breach.

Government lawyer Reimer Veldhuis told the appeals court on Friday that the curfew was introduced on January 23 to stop a "worrisome" surge of Covid-19 cases due to a new variant first found in Britain.

"Just before the introduction of the curfew, the water splashed against the dyke," Veldhuis told the appeals court in The Hague.

"To stay in the metaphor, the water level had to go down as quickly as possible to make room for the new wave." The case was launched by Covid-sceptic group Virus Truth, which has organised a series of protests via social media against coronavirus restrictions.

the s Truth founder Willem Engel said the appeal process was "theatre".

"It's mostly show and spectacle what we have seen the last week," he told AFP outside court.

"In reality the judge on Tuesday made the right call in her verdict when she said this is not the way you conduct this legislation and the curfew is illegitimate."