Dutch court orders government to end coronavirus curfew

A DUTCH court has ordered the government to end the curfew it imposed last month to rein in the spread of coronavirus, saying the ruling coalition was not entitled to use emergency powers to enforce the restrictive measure.

The government of the Netherlands immediately appealed and asked the court to suspend the order prohibiting the curfew. Prime Minister Mark Rutte urged the public to continue staying home during the 9pm to 4.30am curfew hours pending the result of the appeal.

Mr Rutte declared that the curfew “is a means, not an end”.

“It is really very important that we limit our social contacts as much as possible because of the risk of transmission of the virus,” he added. “So please do that. Do it for yourself, but also for each other.”

In a written statement, The Hague District Court called the curfew a “far-reaching violation of the right to freedom of movement and privacy” that also indirectly curtails the rights of freedom of assembly and demonstration. “This requires a very careful decision-making process,” the court ruled.

Last week, the government extended the curfew into March by using a law allowing it to bypass the usual legislative process in emergencies.

Infections have been slowly declining for weeks in the Netherlands, amid a tough lockdown.