Dutch Rapper Convicted of Doxing Israeli Soldier and Journalist
Translated & summarized from Walla by baba
A Dutch court sentenced rapper APPA to 40 hours of community service for doxing an Israeli soldier and a Dutch journalist. The rapper, whose real name is Rashid al-Ghazzawi, published personal details of the soldier and journalist on social media in March 2024, leading to harassment. The court found that APPA exploited his online following to intimidate the victims. The ruling also affirmed that doxing can include republishing publicly available information when combined with malicious intent.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Dutch rapper APPA was sentenced to community service for doxing an Israeli soldier and a journalist.
- APPA published personal details of the soldier and journalist on Instagram in March 2024.
- The soldier's mother reported severe harassment following the online publication of her daughter's information.
- The court ruled that APPA's actions were intended to intimidate and harass the victims.
- The conviction includes doxing a journalist who reported on harassment of Israeli soldiers' families.
- The ruling clarified that doxing can apply to publicly available information when used maliciously.
A court in Utrecht, Netherlands, has sentenced a 43-year-old rapper and pro-Palestinian activist known as APPA to community service for doxing an Israeli soldier and a Dutch public broadcaster journalist. APPA, whose real name is Rashid al-Ghazzawi, was convicted of two counts of doxing, which involves publishing personal details to intimidate or harass. He was sentenced to 40 hours of community service, with 20 hours suspended for two years, falling short of the prosecution's request for 60 hours.
The case began in March 2024 when APPA posted identifying details of a young Israeli soldier, who had moved to Israel at 16 and was serving in the IDF, on his Instagram account. He presented her to his over 83,000 followers, calling her a "rat" and accusing her of fighting against women and children. He urged his followers to find information about her and act against her, leading to her name, birthdate, and birthplace being published online. APPA also shared her place of residence, claiming he was gathering information for potential legal action, a defense the judge rejected.
The soldier's mother, Shirley, reported severe harassment, including individuals appearing at her workplace and shouting outside her home, calling her the mother of a "child killer." Flyers with her daughter's address and accusations were distributed in her neighborhood.
APPA was also convicted of doxing a journalist from the Dutch public broadcaster NOS, who had reported on the harassment of Israeli soldiers' families in the Netherlands. In late March 2024, APPA published the journalist's full name and photo, labeling her a "sewage journalist" and accusing her of spreading lies and attempting to silence him. The judge dismissed APPA's defense that he was merely correcting the record, ruling that publishing her details with threatening remarks was intended to intimidate her and impede her journalistic work.
The court noted that APPA had no prior convictions for similar offenses and considered his personal circumstances and the time elapsed since the incidents. A significant aspect of the ruling is that republishing publicly available information can constitute doxing, especially when combined with threatening statements and a call to action for followers. The court emphasized that such actions can lead to further harm and a sense of insecurity for victims. The NOS Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Wilma Haan, expressed satisfaction with the verdict, highlighting its recognition of the personal harm to the women and the chilling effect on press freedom.
