[JURIST] Netherlands Minister of Justice Piet Hein Donner [official profile] Wednesday defended controversial comments he made during an interview suggesting that if a large majority of the Dutch people wanted to be ruled by Islamic law, then that couldn't be legally prevented. The comments drew intense criticism from opposition politicians [Expatica report] who have opposed the potential implementation of what some have labeled "barbarous Sharia law" in Dutch urban districts dominated by Muslims. The Christian Democrat [party website, in Dutch] minister explained that he was not advocating the rule of Sharia law [JURIST news archive], but rather warning against it.

Donner noted that portions of Islamic law conflict with the Dutch constitution [text], but claimed it would be a "scandal" if two-thirds of the Dutch population called for a change and it was denied. He said that Muslims should be granted the same rights to choose their own religious rules for themselves as Catholics and Protestants in the country. UPI has more.