- The Dutch Data Protection Authority fined 10 municipalities €250,000 for secretly researching Muslim communities
- The breaches were said to be motivated by apparent fears of radicalisation but were strongly condemned. Delft has since apologised to local Muslim groups.
The Dutch Data Protection Authority (AP) has fined ten municipalities a total of €250,000 ($295,000) for violating privacy laws by researching Muslim communities without their knowledge, broadcaster NOS reported on Thursday.
The secret commissioning of these studies and the processing of files containing sensitive information about Muslim residents first came to light in 2021.
Although the reports varied in scope, all included details about individuals’ religious beliefs, such as their Islamic denomination. Some went further, documenting names, photographs, family information, and accounts of internal mosque dynamics. Several reports contained detailed personal profiles.
Some of these reports were reportedly also shared with the police, the NCTV, and the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment.
“The municipalities had no basis for having that information. The privacy of the affected people has been seriously violated. This has damaged trust in many municipalities,” AP chair Aleid Wolfsen said.
The municipalities receiving fines are Delft, Ede, Eindhoven, Haarlemmermeer, Hilversum, Huizen, Gooise Meren, Tilburg, Veenendaal, and Zoetermeer.
The AP described the breaches as serious because they involved sensitive religious data. It noted that the municipalities had failed to fully understand their legal responsibilities.
The watchdog said the municipalities would accept the fines. On Tuesday, the city of Delft issued an apology to local Muslim groups, including the Al-Ansaar Mosque, for the covert research.
