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February 16, 2021: A Dutch appeals court on Tuesday suspended a ruling by a court in The Hague that ordered the government to lift the national curfew against Covid-19.
"This means the 9pm curfew remains in effect," NOS public television said.
The final judgment of the appeals court is scheduled for Friday.
"The curfew is still valid tonight," Prime Minister Mark Rutte wrote on Twitter.
A court in The Hague had ruled that the Dutch government had to end the curfew in place, a measure against Covid-19 that had caused violent unrest in the country, but The Hague immediately appealed.
At the beginning of February, the Dutch government announced an extension of the national curfew, in effect from 21.00 to 04.30 from 23 January to 2 March.
During a press conference, Rutte had urged the Dutch to "continue to respect the curfew", even if the court rejected his appeal.
Even if the curfew turns out to have no "legal basis," Rutte said, "it doesn't mean that this measure isn't necessary."