A 53-year-old Syrian man has been convicted in absentia of murdering his teenage daughter in what Dutch authorities have described as an honour killing. Khaled Al Najjar, who sought asylum in the Netherlands with his wife and eight children around a decade ago, is now on the run. His sons, Mohamed, 23, and Muhanad, 25, were each sentenced to 20 years in prison for their roles in the death of 18-year-old Ryan.
The family had previously been held up as model refugees, taking advantage of education and language opportunities and setting up a pizza business and courier firm. However, tensions escalated between Al Najjar and Ryan, leading to her being placed in care homes and receiving government-backed security. A turning point came on her 18th birthday when a TikTok video showed her without a headscarf and wearing makeup, urging authorities to remove children from her parents' home.
Ryan was found submerged in a swamp in Lelystad, around 25 miles north-east of Amsterdam, in May 2024. She had been gagged, with her hands tied behind her back and her ankles taped together. The court heard that Al Najjar had sent angry WhatsApp messages after seeing the video, writing that "a snake would be a better daughter." Another message, reportedly sent from her mother's phone, read: "She is a slut and should be killed."
According to an official summary, Al Najjar restrained and strangled his daughter before leaving her body in the water. One of her brothers was present when she died, although the court did not specify which one. Al Najjar allegedly sent emails to the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf claiming full responsibility and insisting his sons were innocent, but prosecutors dismissed this, arguing that Mohamed and Muhanad had knowingly driven Ryan to her death.
In his summing up, prosecutor Bart Niks said: "What is important is that all three men were there together. Without them, she would never have been on that dark path. They planned it and agreed to it. It was the father who took the initiative, but the brothers also deserve heavy sentences." He added: "Ryan came to the Netherlands for safety, but she was never safe... Once she went to the authorities, as far as they were concerned, the family honour was gone, and so she was murdered by her own father and brothers."
