A man convicted of killing his 18-year-old daughter in an ‘honor killing’ in the Netherlands has been sentenced to 30 years in jail. Khaled al Najjar, who is currently a fugitive in Syria, was given the sentence in absentia. His sons, Mohamed and Muhanad, received 20-year prison terms each for their involvement in their sister’s death.
The court revealed that the victim, Ryan, was found bound and gagged with duct tape before being drowned in a shallow pool in a national park near Amsterdam. Evidence showed that Ryan was still alive when she was submerged, with traces of her father’s DNA discovered on the tape and under her fingernails.
After the murder, Khaled fled to Syria where he remarried and confessed to the crime in a letter to a newspaper. However, prosecutors rejected his claims, stating that both brothers played a role in the tragic event. The court learned that Ryan was killed due to her defiance of the strict Islamic principles she was raised with, especially after a TikTok video surfaced showing her without a headscarf and makeup.
Prosecutors described the horrifying circumstances of Ryan’s death and highlighted her previous reports to the police about threats and assaults from her family members. Despite denying any involvement, the brothers were found to have assisted in covering up the crime by deleting evidence from Ryan’s phone.
Muhanad attended the sentencing hearing, while Mohamed opted to remain in custody. Following the verdict, Muhanad vowed to clear his name and his lawyer announced plans to appeal, citing a lack of direct evidence linking him to the murder. Due to the absence of an extradition treaty with Syria, it is uncertain whether Khaled will ever serve his sentence in the Netherlands.