A father has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for the brutal murder of his 18-year-old daughter, in a case described by Dutch prosecutors as an 'honour killing'. Khaled al Najjar drowned his daughter Ryan after claiming she had become 'too Westernised'.
A Fatal Journey to a Nature Reserve
Ryan al Najjar's body was discovered in the Oostvaardersplassen nature reserve, a remote area in the Netherlands, just one month after her 18th birthday. She was found face down in a pond, bound and gagged with an extensive 18 metres of duct tape. Forensic evidence, including Khaled's DNA under her fingernails and on the tape, proved crucial to the case.
The court heard how Ryan's two older brothers, Muhanad, 25, and Muhamad, 24, drove their sister to the isolated beauty spot and left her alone with their father. Mobile phone data and algae found on their shoes placed them at the scene. Both brothers were convicted of assisting in the murder and received 20-year prison sentences.
Chilling Aftermath and a Father's Flight
In a sinister twist, evidence indicated Ryan was still alive when she was thrown into the water. Following the killing, Khaled al Najjar sent a chilling text message to his family, stating: "My mistake was not digging a hole for her." This message was presented as key evidence of his cold-blooded intent.
Khaled al Najjar fled to Syria after the murder, where he is now living with another woman. He was tried and sentenced in absentia to three decades behind bars. Ryan's mother, Sumaia al Najjar, has expressed desperation for him to be extradited back to the Netherlands to serve his punishment.
A Family Living in Fear and a Daughter's Rebellion
The family had originally sought asylum in the Netherlands eight years prior, escaping the war in Syria. To outsiders, they appeared integrated, but behind closed doors, a violent reality festered. Sumaia described her husband as a violent abuser who beat her and the children. "He was a violent man. He used to break things and beat me and his children up," she told the Daily Mail.
Ryan began to rebel around the age of 15, wanting to fit in with her Dutch peers. She stopped wearing a hijab, started smoking, and had a mixed group of friends. Her father was reportedly angered by her desire to flirt with boys and make TikTok videos. One of Ryan's sisters, Iman, 27, described the household as permeated with tension and fear due to their father's temperamental and unjust nature.
The case highlights the extreme and tragic consequences of so-called 'honour-based violence' and the complex dynamics of control and abuse within families struggling with cultural integration.
