A father has been sentenced to 30 years in prison in absentia for the honor killing of his daughter in the Netherlands. Khaled al Najjar, 53, fled the country hours after the body of his 18-year-old daughter Ryan was discovered and is currently hiding in Syria.
His two sons, Mohamed, 23, and Muhanad, 25, were also convicted and each received 20-year prison sentences. Only Muhanad was present in the courtroom to hear the verdict delivered by the judge.
Dressed in a beige hoodie and with his hands folded, Muhanad listened as the ruling was read. He stated, ‘I will clear my name,’ as the hearing concluded.
Court Findings and Appeal
The court determined in its written summary that Khaled tied up, strangled, and drowned his daughter. It also concluded that one of his sons was present at the scene when Ryan was bound and placed in the water.
While the court could not establish the specific role of the other son, it deemed this irrelevant to the question of guilt. The ruling stated that he also played a significant role, having helped pick Ryan up and drive her to the location knowing what awaited her.
Following the verdict, Muhanad’s lawyer, Johan Mühren, announced plans to appeal. He argued that there was no direct evidence linking his client to the crime.
Motive and Background
Prosecutors revealed that Ryan was killed for violating her family’s strict traditional expectations. Her adoption of a Western lifestyle, which included mixing with boys, refusing to wear a headscarf, and using social media, was seen as a betrayal.
The fatal attack appeared to have been triggered by a live TikTok video showing Ryan without her headscarf and wearing makeup. Investigators stated this video caused immense embarrassment for her family.
Prosecutors described a long-standing pattern of intimidation and control within the household. Ryan’s behavior was viewed by her relatives as a humiliating disgrace that ultimately led to the murder.
The Crime and Investigation
Ryan disappeared on May 22, 2024. Her body was found six days later in a swamp in Lelystad, bound and gagged.
Investigators discovered DNA belonging to her father under her fingernails, indicating she fought for her life. Khaled later sent emails to a Dutch newspaper claiming sole responsibility and asserting his sons’ innocence, a claim rejected by prosecutors.
They argued instead that the father instructed his sons to collect Ryan and bring her to the isolated location. Mühren offered a different account, claiming Muhanad picked up his sister only to mediate and have her apologize to their father.
The prosecutor in court emphasized the terror Ryan must have felt, describing her final moments as being ‘in the middle of the night, in complete darkness, in a completely isolated place.’
