A father has been given a 30-year prison sentence for tying up and drowning his teenage daughter in a tragic honor killing. Khaled al Najjar, 53, fled the Netherlands shortly after his 18-year-old daughter Ryan’s body was discovered in a remote nature reserve near Lelystad, about 40 miles northeast of Amsterdam. His sons, Mohamed, 23, and Muhanad, 25, were also found complicit in their sister’s death and each received a 20-year sentence.
According to the court, Ryan was picked up by her brothers from a friend’s house in Rotterdam under the guise of protecting her from their father’s anger. However, they were following Khaled’s instructions to take her to deep water, weigh down her body, and leave her for the fish to consume.
While Muhanad was present in court for the verdict, both brothers had previously denied involvement in the murder. DNA and phone records implicated Khaled and Muhanad in the crime, with prosecutors emphasizing that Ryan stood no chance against the three men. Mohamed, the younger sibling, remained with the vehicles during the incident.
The court revealed that Khaled and his sons were primarily focused on concealing Ryan’s disappearance and evading detection. Despite Khaled’s denial of his sons’ participation in Ryan’s murder, the judge expressed suspicion that he was taking blame from abroad to protect his sons.
This sentencing surpasses the recommended term by Dutch prosecutors and is the maximum penalty available in the Netherlands for individuals convicted of fewer than one murder. However, Khaled, who is currently in Syria, may avoid serving the sentence due to the lack of an extradition treaty between Syria and the Netherlands. The family had criticized Ryan for her behavior, leading to the tragic outcome, which the judge described as unfathomable and condemned Khaled for his lack of accountability.