Partij voor Naastenliefde, Vrijheid en Diversiteit
Encyclopedia
The Party for Neighbourly Love, Freedom, and Diversity (Partij voor Naastenliefde, Vrijheid en Diversiteit, PVND) was a Dutch
political party
with no representation in parliament, and only three known members. It was commonly known as "pedopartij" ("pedo party") in the media, due to its advocacy for legalization of child pornography and the lowering of the age of consent to age 12. PVND was founded on 31 May 2006 by three self-described pedophiles. Its motto is "sapere aude ("Have courage to use your own reason")." PVND has not participated in any election. In 2006, it did not receive the 30 signatures from each of the 19 Dutch electoral regions it would need to get on the ballot for the 2006 elections. Since 14 March 2010 the party no longer exists.
, gamble, choose their place of residence, and use soft drugs. Hard drugs would be legal at 16, as that would be the new age of majority
. They also intended to eliminate marriage
in the law, permit public nudity
anywhere in the country, make railway travel free, and institute a comprehensive animal rights
platform.
(calling outlawing thereof "censorship" in the platform) and allow non-violent pornography to be screened on daytime television. Their platform also included legalization of humans engaging in sex with animals
.
Treasurer Van den Berg claimed that, "Rearing is also about introducing children to sex". Because of their controversial viewpoints on children and sexuality, they were often called "paedo(philes)-party" by the people and in the media.
Also, the party's platform called for separate imprisonment facilities for sex offender
s, arguing that the country would otherwise have indirect torture laws.
guaranteeing all animals basic rights.
In addition, the party planned to heavily restrict animal testing
and completely prohibit the consumption of meat and fish: they viewed the killing of animals, no matter what purpose it serves, as murder
. Industries currently depending on the sale of animal meat would receive provisional financial support from the government. Hunting and fishing for sport would also be banned. The party also supported laws criminalizing the "sexual maltreatment" of animals.
favour. "The freedom of expression, the freedom of assembly and the freedom of association … should be seen as the foundations of the democratic rule of law and the PNVD is also entitled to these freedoms," the court said in a statement.
The party's ties to paedophile activism have also drawn much attention: Marthijn Uittenbogaard was earlier the treasurer of Vereniging MARTIJN
, an organization which advocates romantic and sexual relationships between adults and children, and all of its founders have identified as pedophiles. The treasurer, Ad van den Berg (then 43), was convicted in 1987 for molesting an 11-year old boy. He was fined and given a suspended prison sentence. The Dutch television show "Netwerk
" monitored Van den Berg for three months. They discovered that he still has an under-age boyfriend.
In June 2006, Norbert de Jonge was expelled from his special education
course at the Radboud University Nijmegen
, owing to his involvement with the party and identification as a pedophile. In 2007 he was refused admittance as an special education student by the university in Leiden, which has no religious background. De Jonge's appeal against this was rejected by the College of Appeal for higher education CBHO. They ruled that the university has a right to ban him, because of the damage it would suffer to its reputation and relationship with pedagogical institutions. De Jonge's only option to appeal against this ruling is at the European Court of Human Rights
. In earlier statements De Jonge stated he would keep fighting.
The Dutch Zoo Federation
and a company which used the initials 'NVD' forced the party to switch to using the initials 'PNVD' to protect their reputations.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
with no representation in parliament, and only three known members. It was commonly known as "pedopartij" ("pedo party") in the media, due to its advocacy for legalization of child pornography and the lowering of the age of consent to age 12. PVND was founded on 31 May 2006 by three self-described pedophiles. Its motto is "sapere aude ("Have courage to use your own reason")." PVND has not participated in any election. In 2006, it did not receive the 30 signatures from each of the 19 Dutch electoral regions it would need to get on the ballot for the 2006 elections. Since 14 March 2010 the party no longer exists.
Platform
According to their official statement, the PNVD's platform aimed to maximize diversity and liberty. They proposed allowing individuals, from the age of 12, to vote, have sexHuman sexual behavior
Human sexual activities or human sexual practices or human sexual behavior refers to the manner in which humans experience and express their sexuality. People engage in a variety of sexual acts from time to time, and for a wide variety of reasons...
, gamble, choose their place of residence, and use soft drugs. Hard drugs would be legal at 16, as that would be the new age of majority
Age of majority
The age of majority is the threshold of adulthood as it is conceptualized in law. It is the chronological moment when minors cease to legally be considered children and assume control over their persons, actions, and decisions, thereby terminating the legal control and legal responsibilities of...
. They also intended to eliminate marriage
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
in the law, permit public nudity
Public nudity
Public nudity or nude in public refers to nudity not in an entirely private context. It refers to a person appearing nude in a public place or to be seen from a public place. It also includes nudity in a semi-public place, where the general public is free to enter, such as a shopping mall...
anywhere in the country, make railway travel free, and institute a comprehensive animal rights
Animal rights
Animal rights, also known as animal liberation, is the idea that the most basic interests of non-human animals should be afforded the same consideration as the similar interests of human beings...
platform.
Sexuality
The PNVD sought to have the legal age-of-consent lowered to 12, and, in the long run, completely eliminated (except in dependent or intrafamilial relationships.) They reason that only "coerced" or "dangerous" sexual activity should be punished. They also aimed to equalize the legal age where one can perform in pornography with the legal age-of-consent. Prostitution would be legal at the age of 16. The PNVD wanted to legalise private use of child pornographyChild pornography
Child pornography refers to images or films and, in some cases, writings depicting sexually explicit activities involving a child...
(calling outlawing thereof "censorship" in the platform) and allow non-violent pornography to be screened on daytime television. Their platform also included legalization of humans engaging in sex with animals
Zoophilia
Zoophilia, from the Greek ζῷον and φιλία is the practice of sex between humans and non-human animals , or a preference or fixation on such practice...
.
Treasurer Van den Berg claimed that, "Rearing is also about introducing children to sex". Because of their controversial viewpoints on children and sexuality, they were often called "paedo(philes)-party" by the people and in the media.
Also, the party's platform called for separate imprisonment facilities for sex offender
Sex offender
A sex offender is a person who has committed a sex crime. What constitutes a sex crime differs by culture and by legal jurisdiction. Most jurisdictions compile their laws into sections such as traffic, assault, sexual, etc. The majority of convicted sex offenders have convictions for crimes of a...
s, arguing that the country would otherwise have indirect torture laws.
Animal rights
The PNVD ultimately aimed to establish a universal treatyTreaty
A treaty is an express agreement under international law entered into by actors in international law, namely sovereign states and international organizations. A treaty may also be known as an agreement, protocol, covenant, convention or exchange of letters, among other terms...
guaranteeing all animals basic rights.
In addition, the party planned to heavily restrict animal testing
Animal testing
Animal testing, also known as animal experimentation, animal research, and in vivo testing, is the use of non-human animals in experiments. Worldwide it is estimated that the number of vertebrate animals—from zebrafish to non-human primates—ranges from the tens of millions to more than 100 million...
and completely prohibit the consumption of meat and fish: they viewed the killing of animals, no matter what purpose it serves, as murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
. Industries currently depending on the sale of animal meat would receive provisional financial support from the government. Hunting and fishing for sport would also be banned. The party also supported laws criminalizing the "sexual maltreatment" of animals.
Controversy
Multiple positions taken by the PNVD were controversial, especially those concerning children. In a May 2006 opinion poll, 82% of respondents wanted the Dutch government to stop the party from competing in the elections. The anti-pedophile foundation "Soelaas" petitioned the courts to ban the party, but the judges ruled in the PNVD'sfavour. "The freedom of expression, the freedom of assembly and the freedom of association … should be seen as the foundations of the democratic rule of law and the PNVD is also entitled to these freedoms," the court said in a statement.
The party's ties to paedophile activism have also drawn much attention: Marthijn Uittenbogaard was earlier the treasurer of Vereniging MARTIJN
Vereniging MARTIJN
Vereniging MARTIJN is a Dutch association that advocates the acceptance of pedophilia and legalization of sexual relationships between adults and children. The group is widely reviled but not outlawed...
, an organization which advocates romantic and sexual relationships between adults and children, and all of its founders have identified as pedophiles. The treasurer, Ad van den Berg (then 43), was convicted in 1987 for molesting an 11-year old boy. He was fined and given a suspended prison sentence. The Dutch television show "Netwerk
Netwerk
Netwerk is a Dutch 'behind the news' television show on Nederland 2....
" monitored Van den Berg for three months. They discovered that he still has an under-age boyfriend.
In June 2006, Norbert de Jonge was expelled from his special education
Special education
Special education is the education of students with special needs in a way that addresses the students' individual differences and needs. Ideally, this process involves the individually planned and systematically monitored arrangement of teaching procedures, adapted equipment and materials,...
course at the Radboud University Nijmegen
Radboud University Nijmegen
Radboud University Nijmegen is a public university with a strong focus on research in Nijmegen, the Netherlands...
, owing to his involvement with the party and identification as a pedophile. In 2007 he was refused admittance as an special education student by the university in Leiden, which has no religious background. De Jonge's appeal against this was rejected by the College of Appeal for higher education CBHO. They ruled that the university has a right to ban him, because of the damage it would suffer to its reputation and relationship with pedagogical institutions. De Jonge's only option to appeal against this ruling is at the European Court of Human Rights
European Court of Human Rights
The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg is a supra-national court established by the European Convention on Human Rights and hears complaints that a contracting state has violated the human rights enshrined in the Convention and its protocols. Complaints can be brought by individuals or...
. In earlier statements De Jonge stated he would keep fighting.
The Dutch Zoo Federation
Dutch Zoo Federation
The Dutch Zoo Federation is an association of 15 large zoos in the Netherlands. NVD was founded in 1966 and all of its member zoos are also members of the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria ....
and a company which used the initials 'NVD' forced the party to switch to using the initials 'PNVD' to protect their reputations.