Dutch news in brief – 7 April - Expatica Netherlands

Prosecution lodges appeal in Joos case

The prosecution has lodged seven appeals against eight suspects who stood trial for the death of heroin addict Anja Joos in Amsterdam in October 2003. The three-year jail term imposed on 17-year-old Said B. conformed with the prosecution’s demand, but the prosecution has appealed to have him convicted on other matters. In six cases, the prosecution lodged appeals because the defendants had appealed and the court had imposed more lenient sentences than had been demanded. The prosecution previously said it would appeal against the 18-month jail term handed down on main suspect Mohamed G., 19. The prosecution had demanded seven years’ jail.

Busy roads expected over Easter long weekend

Dutch motorists’ association ANWB is expecting the nation’s roads to be extremely busy on Thursday, Friday and Easter Monday as an estimated 600,000 holidaying Dutch nationals take to the road. About 850,000 went on holiday last year. This year, 400,000 Dutch nationals will holiday within the Netherlands, while the remainder will head for Germany, Belgium and France. About 850,000 foreign tourists are expected to travel to the Netherlands, the tourism and congress bureau NBTC said.

Child porn appeal lodged against former judge

The Arnhem public prosecutor has appealed against the suspended jail term handed down on a 47-year-old former judge, F. F., who was convicted of possessing child pornography. The former judge vice president of the Maastricht Court was forced to resign from his position as an academic at the Maastricht University after his conviction and EUR 2,500 fine last month.

Congolese asylum seeker jailed for torture

Rotterdam Court sentenced on Wednesday a Congolese asylum seeker to 2.5 years jail on charges of torture committed in his land of origin. Sebastien Nzapali, 51, was a military colonel in the Democratic Republic of Congo during the reign of late President Mobutu Sese Seko. The defendant was sentenced to 10-years jail after the president was ousted in 1997, but escaped to the Netherlands and requested asylum in 1998. He was arrested last year. It has been possible in the Netherlands since October to try foreigners for crimes such as genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in the defendant’s country of origin.

Subject: Dutch news