Defense Attorney summoned over gangland assassinations

The Amsterdam defense attorney Nico Meijrering has to appear in the Amsterdam District Court today as a witness in four execution cases. The Public Prosecutor in Amsterdam summoned him. Meijring, who lost several clients to executions recently, has already announced that he has nothing to say. It is very rare that an attorney is called as a witness in a criminal case. Meijering thinks that the Public Prosecutor is putting him in danger. He thinks that rumors that he is talking to justice will wrongly spread through the underworld. "Everything that comes to me as an attorney in execution cases is extremely sensitive information. Any suggestion that I would answer questions as a witness is life threateningly dangerous." The quarrel between the Public Prosecutor and the attorney started last year after Meijering criticized the policy of justice on the television program Pauw. He said that "the policy that the Public Prosecutor now follows, leads to more executions. And we also have evidence for that, for example the series of murders currently taking place in Amsterdam". This was shortly after the Public Prosecution announced to have a new key witness in the long-running Passage Process, which revolves around a series of assassinations in the underworld. Meijering's statements led to a lot of tension with justice in recent months. According to Meijering, the summons is a direct result of his statements. The Public Prosecutor would not comment on the issue. Meijering has to report to the court this morning. It is not clear about which four execution cases he will be questioned. Justice wants to know what evidence he has that justice's policy led to the murders. Meijering is forced to obey the summons. If he does not appear in court, he is committing a punishable offense.