Ten municipalities in The Netherlands have been fined a total of €250,000 for unlawfully collecting and processing sensitive personal data about Muslim residents, following a ruling by the Dutch Data Protection Authority.
The authority said local governments secretly commissioned research into Muslim communities that included information about individuals’ religious beliefs, political views, and social networks without their knowledge or legal basis.
Each municipality was fined €25,000 for violating Dutch privacy law and the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
The municipalities penalised include Delft, Ede, Eindhoven, Haarlemmermeer, Hilversum, Huizen, Gooise Meren, Tilburg, Veenendaal, and Zoetermeer.
Investigators found that external research agencies were hired to compile reports on mosques and Muslim organisations, with some information shared with police and national authorities.
Dutch Data Protection Authority chair Aleid Wolfsen said the municipalities had “no legal grounds” to gather such information and described the practices as a serious breach of trust that risked undermining confidence in public institutions.
The covert investigations were first exposed in 2021, prompting widespread criticism and legal scrutiny.
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Authorities said the research was carried out in the context of counter‑radicalisation efforts, but the data protection watchdog ruled that the methods used were unlawful and disproportionate.
Muslim organisations respond
Dutch Muslim organisations and mosque umbrella groups welcomed the fines but said they did not go far enough.
A coalition of mosque associations, including the K9 mosque umbrella group, called for formal apologies from both the municipalities involved and the national government, arguing that the surveillance amounted to discrimination and violated freedom of religion.
Representatives of Muslim organisations said the secret monitoring damaged trust between Muslim communities and public authorities and reinforced feelings of exclusion.
They stressed that worshippers were treated as security risks simply because of their religious identity.
The fines come amid broader concerns about Islamophobia and discrimination in the Netherlands.
Surveys and research have shown that around half of Dutch Muslims report experiencing discrimination, a rate higher than the European Union average, with many citing bias in employment, housing, and everyday interactions.
Studies and community reports have highlighted that Muslims in urban areas regularly face hate speech, profiling, and prejudice, and that anti‑Muslim rhetoric has become more visible in public discourse.
Critics say that political debates around immigration and security have sometimes fuelled negative perceptions of Muslim communities.
The issue has been underscored by recent incidents, including protests over alleged racist police violence against Muslim women and controversy surrounding rhetoric from far‑right politicians that community groups have labelled Islamophobic.
