Judgment - Severe penalties for killing a Dutch journalist.
On July 6th, 2021, investigative journalist Peter R. de Vries exited a TV studio in Amsterdam when he was suddenly shot in the back by someone disguised in dark attire. Nine days later, de Vries died from his injuries, leaving the Netherlands and the international community reeling from the shocking crime. Today, the court in Amsterdam has handed down its verdict on the nine individuals connected to the murder, doling out prison sentences as long as 28 years.
The guilt of the three main suspects - the gunman, Delano G. (24), the driver of the getaway car, Kamil E. (38), and the alleged "murder broker" Krystian M. (29) - has been firmly established, according to the judges in the high-security courtroom. Judge Gert Oldekamp described their actions as reckless, remarking, "they showed no respect for human life," and went on to call their actions "unimaginable shamelessness and heartlessness."
The running tally of years in prison for the three main suspects is as follows: Delano G. received a 28-year sentence, Kamil E. earned himself 28 years behind bars, and Krystian M. was given a 26-year stint. Only M acknowledged his wrongdoing, making him the sole individual to apologize to the victim's grieving family.
Out of the other five defendants, four were found guilty and given prison sentences of up to 14 years, while the remaining two were deemed not guilty. The convicted may still appeal the court's decision, and the prosecution is pondering their options, as well. They had sought life sentences for the primary suspects on the grounds that the crime was akin to terrorism, but the judges found the evidence did not support this claim.
The violent death of such a well-liked and tenacious advocate for justice and against organized crime created a disturbance of immense proportions. King Willem-Alexander commented on the murder as an attack on the legal system, while Prime Minister Mark Rutte chastised the crime as an assault on journalistic freedom.
The defendants were tight-lipped during the trial, invoking their right to silence. The judges frowned on this behavior, yet the overwhelming evidence presented against them couldn't be ignored. There were countless witnesses, camera footage, audio recordings, the murder weapon was recovered in the escape car, and investigators found text messages detailing the plan, including one in which M sent a photograph of de Vries with the caption, "You must have the dog." Delano G. responded, "I'll finish that." Shortly after the killing, G acknowledged, "The bullet went through his head."
Despite the convictions, the reason for the attack remains unclear. It's believed the motive was related to de Vries' close relationship with the crown witness in the high-profile trial of notorious criminal Ridouan Taghi. De Vries was a confidant who had testified in the lengthy criminal trial against Taghi and his cohorts. Prior to de Vries' murder, the brother and lawyer of the crown witness were also killed.
These murders opened eyes about the level of drug violence in the Netherlands, and the ripple effects were widespread. Legal professionals and reporters were provided with increased protection, and even Crown Princess Amalia was threatened, causing her to relocate to Madrid for a year. Today's trials are run with the same security measures as Mafia trials in Italy.
Taghi had been handed a life sentence in February for other homicides, but the court could not yet confirm his responsibility for the murder of de Vries, as there was no one else on trial. Oldekamp summarized, "But there are no suspects in court. However, there are likely instigators."
Read also:
- Krystian M., the alleged "murder broker" in the case, was one of the three main suspects who received a 26-year prison sentence in the Netherlands for their involvement in the murder of investigative journalist Peter R. de Vries.
- Dutch journalist Peter R.'s death in July 2021, after being shot in the back outside a TV studio in Amsterdam, was a shocking crime that left the Netherlands and the international community reeling.
- Judge Gert Oldekamp, during the court proceedings, described the actions of the main suspects as reckless and lacked respect for human life, calling their actions "unimaginable shamelessness and heartlessness."
- Following the murder, Kamil E., the driver of the getaway car, was given a 28-year prison sentence, while Delano G., the gunman, received the most severe penalty of 28 years in prison.
- In the TV studio where the crime took place, renowned crime reporter Peter R. de Vries had been working on a high-profile case against notorious criminal Ridouan Taghi, whose brother and lawyer were also killed prior to his murder.
- The case of Peter R. de Vries' murder in the Netherlands highlighted the level of drug violence in the country, resulting in increased protection for legal professionals and reporters, as well as Crown Princess Amalia relocating to Madrid for a year due to threats.
