Netherlands
Long prison sentences for murder of crime reporter de Vries
Amsterdam, Netherlands: Armed police patrol outside the courthouse where the verdicts in the trial of nine men are being announced
© Mike Corder / DPA
The murder of crime reporter Peter R. de Vries shocked the Netherlands. Nine people were charged. Three years later, the judges have now passed judgment.
The Amsterdam Criminal Court has found three men guilty of the murder of Dutch crime reporter Peter R. de Vries and sentenced them to long prison terms of up to 28 years. Almost three years after the murder in Amsterdam, the judges on Wednesday also sentenced four other defendants to prison terms of up to 14 years for aiding and abetting the murder of the prominent reporter. Two defendants were acquitted.
For the judges, the guilt of the three main defendants was proven beyond a doubt. They had no respect for human life, said the judges in the heavily guarded high-security court in Amsterdam. The public prosecutor had demanded life imprisonment.
Influence of the Taghi gang on Dutch society
The prominent TV reporter was gunned down in the middle of Amsterdam in the summer of 2021 at the age of 64. He later succumbed to his serious injuries. The crime shocked the country. Two main suspects were arrested immediately after the crime. They were the shooter Delano G., 24, and the driver of the getaway car, Kamil E., 38. Both have now been sentenced to 28 years in prison.
The third main perpetrator, Krystian M., 29, is considered a “murder broker” and was sentenced to 26 years in prison. Only M. admitted complicity and apologized to the victim’s relatives. The defendants also invoked their right to remain silent and refused to testify. Like the prosecution, they can appeal against the verdicts.
According to the prosecution, the drug gang of the notorious criminal Ridouan Taghi was responsible for the murder. De Vries was a confidant of the key witness who had testified in a major criminal trial against Taghi and his accomplices. The key witness’ brother and defense attorney had already been murdered. But there is no evidence that the Taghi gang was responsible. Taghi was sentenced to life imprisonment in February, but for other murders.