In the Netherlands, a so-called "honor killing" case is causing a public outcry. An 18-year-old girl, whose identity is not disclosed, was found dead in a swamp. Her body was bound, with her hands tied behind her back. She had been missing for six days after disappearing from her family home.
According to the investigation, her father and two brothers are implicated in the murder. The father is accused of ordering the killing before fleeing to the Middle East. The brothers, in turn, have been charged with direct involvement in the crime.
The Dutch prosecution has demanded prison sentences of up to 25 years for the father and his sons. Prosecutors believe they saw their daughter as a "burden" to be eliminated simply because she wanted to live her own life. The incident took place in Rotterdam, where the brothers abducted their sister two days after her 18th birthday.
The investigation revealed that the strict father was furious with his daughter for refusing to wear a hijab and close her social media accounts. The probe also showed that the girl resisted constant family pressure to force her into a marriage with a man she did not want.
DNA evidence from the father was found under the victim's fingernails, pointing to his direct involvement. He fled the country immediately after the incident, which complicated his extradition. The prosecution called him a coward who abandoned his children and completely destroyed his family.
The brothers face up to 20 years in prison for the murder, while the father may be sentenced in absentia to 25 years. It has been reported that the father sent emails to Dutch media confessing to the murder, and chat logs confirm the brothers' participation in carrying it out.
