Teenage girl ‘tied up and drowned in swamp in honour killing had upset her father by refusing to wear Islamic headscarf and using social media’
A teenage girl who was allegedly tied up and thrown into a swamp to drown in an honor killing angered her strict father by refusing to wear an Islamic headscarf and using social media, Dutch prosecutors said.
The body of 18-year-old Ryan Al Najjar was found dumped in a swamp with his mouth gagged, his hands tied behind his back and his ankles taped together, six days after he disappeared from the family home in Joure in May last year.
His brothers Mohamed (23) and Muhanad Al Najjar (25) are currently on trial for murder, while their father Khalid, who is accused of ordering the murder, also fled to Syria.
New details revealed by prosecutors over the weekend allege Ryan violated her family’s strict expectations by embracing a Western lifestyle, mixing with men, refusing to wear a hijab and using social media.
“The cause of death appears to be a live video on TikTok showing Ryan without her hijab and wearing make-up,” prosecutors told the court on Friday.
‘According to their posts, the video causes serious embarrassment to the family because it does not align with their traditional views.’
The prosecutor said, ‘Honour killings are absolutely unacceptable’ and added, ‘This is a type of femicide.’
Dutch authorities on Friday requested prison sentences of up to 25 years for the three suspects.
Ryan’s body was found in marshland six days after he disappeared from the family home in the Netherlands. She was gagged and her hands were tied behind her back
Court sketch of suspects Mohammed (right) and Muhanad Al Najjar, accused of helping their father kill their sister. Men insisted their father acted alone
Father Khalid, accused of planning the murder, will be tried in absentia after fleeing the country.
Investigators allege the murder followed a long pattern of intimidation and control within the household, with Ryan’s behavior viewed by relatives as a humiliating betrayal, ultimately leading to the fatal attack.
The brothers, who started the trial yesterday, insist that they were not involved in the incident and say that their father committed the murder alone.
Ryan disappeared on May 22, 2024. His body was found by a passerby on May 28 in Lelystad, about 40 kilometers northeast of Amsterdam.
Investigators later found his father’s DNA under his fingernails, indicating he had been in a fight.
Khalid allegedly sent two emails to Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, claiming responsibility and saying his sons were innocent. However, prosecutors rejected this claim.
They claim the father told his sons to pick up Ryan, drive him to an isolated location and meet him there.
Shortly after midnight, Ryan was killed.
In court, the prosecutor described the fear Ryan must have felt, alone in the dark and away from help.
The teenager’s body was found in a swamp by a passerby after prosecutors said his father planned the murder.
The prosecutor said, ‘What must he have been afraid of?’ ‘In the middle of the night, in total darkness, in a completely isolated place.’
The prosecution says the brothers carried out the plan knowing he would die.
Forensic examinations confirmed that all three suspects were present at the scene, but it is unclear who committed the specific actions. ‘Khaled was the driving force, but Ryan wouldn’t have been there if it wasn’t for his sons,’ prosecutors said.
While the brothers blame their father for the murder, their sisters support them and hold the father responsible as well.
However, prosecutors noted that chat messages were obtained that suggested the brothers may have been actively involved.
Khalid reportedly sent emails to Dutch media admitting his daughter’s murder and claiming his sons were not involved.
Prior to his death, Ryan was being monitored and provided protection by the police, but this ended before his murder. It was not explained why the protection was lifted.
Both brothers were arrested shortly after the body was discovered and have remained in custody ever since. Defense attorneys are scheduled to present their arguments on Monday. The court will announce its decision on January 5.
Their father fled the country and could not be traced.
According to Dutch current affairs program Nieuwsuur, Khaled is believed to have been living in northern Syria and remarried after the murder.
The Dutch Ministry of Justice and Security told the program that the Netherlands currently has no way of securing his return.
The Ministry said, ‘Opportunities for criminal cooperation with Syria do not currently exist.’ ‘Criminal justice authorities required for this cooperation [yet] ‘It operates in Syria.’
However, Syria’s Ministry of Justice disputed this claim. Minister Mazhar al-Wais said the system has been rebuilt and is working.
‘This could have been the case when the regime had just fallen. “The Syrian justice system has now been completely re-established,” he said.
He said the country was ‘ready’, adding that Syria has already received three legal-assistance requests from European nations.
‘We will provide the necessary legal support in line with the legislation.’
The Syrian minister also said that his government had not received any requests from the Netherlands regarding this case.
The brothers’ lawyers had previously requested their release from pre-trial detention. However, the judge ruled that these people should be kept behind bars until the trial.
