(And any other relevant institutional readers)
I recognize that the message I have recently published regarding Donald J. Trump’s anticipated presence at the upcoming NATO summit may draw the attention of domestic intelligence and security institutions, such as the AIVD.
That is understood, and I make no attempt to obscure or retract my words.
Let me state this as clearly and professionally as possible:
What I have written is a political statement. It is protected under the right to freedom of expression, as enshrined in the Dutch Constitution, the European Convention on Human Rights, and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.
My writing may be sharp. It may be uncomfortable. It may criticize institutions and leaders in plain, uncompromising terms. But criticism — even fierce criticism — is not incitement. I have not called for violence. I have not endorsed illegal acts of sabotage or harm. I have called for protest, for disruption in the form of nonviolent civil disobedience, and for a moral response to what I perceive as a dangerous normalization of authoritarianism.
If, in the eyes of the state, that makes me a person of interest, so be it.
But let us not pretend the law is unclear.
Freedom of expression is not conditional on politeness. It does not require approval. It exists to protect the very kind of speech that may provoke discomfort — including within the state itself.
If you wish to discuss this further, I am not difficult to find.
I will not, however, travel to The Hague, or to any government building, under informal pretexts. If you deem it necessary to speak with me, you may request a conversation in a neutral public space — a café in the neighborhood where I reside in Amsterdam. I will make time.
Let us treat this like the democracy we are all sworn to defend.
This message — and this citizen — remain open to dialogue.
With professionalism and clarity,
Khannea Sun’Tzu
Amsterdam, April 2025