Holland: Orthodox man fined for not carrying an ID on Shabbos

Dutch appeals court sentenced a fine of $90 against the Orthodox man who refused to show identification to police officers who arrested him during Shabbos, although he claimed that because of his faith, he could not carry anything – for fear of the prohibition of carrying.

The man, whose name was not released because of the Privacy Act, claims that upon his arrest he did not present identification, since he did not carry it on him, because the arrest took place on Shabbos and he did not carry anything on him.

The court ruled that the law compares all citizens, and requires every citizen above the age of 14 to show identification to police or legal authorities at their request. The judge made it clear that no religious exemption is in the law for the Jews.

The court fined him $90 and did not state in the ruling why the police arrested the man. In the past the carrying of the identification and presentation on demand were not included in the Dutch law, but since 2005 the authorities demand it.

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!