Prison term increased for broadcast TV hijacker Tarik Z.

Tarik Z., the young man who tried to hijack the 8:00 p.m. news at broadcaster NOS in January, was sentenced to 40 months in prison, 24 of which conditionally suspended, by the court in Leeuwarden on Tuesday. The Public Prosecutor demanded a four year prison sentence.  The 20-year-old man from Pijnacker forced his way into the NOS studio on January 29th. Armed with a gas pistol, Z. demanded screen time to tell the public that NOS manipulated the news and with it the public opinion. Z.'s lawyer demanded a lower sentence because recognizable images of his client was broadcast for hours after the incident. The court took no account of this. According to the judge, Z. sought the media attention himself. "The fact that NOS made their own choices on broadcasting the actions directed against them does not alter this", the verdict reads according to news wire ANP. When this case was first tried in June and July, the court sentenced Z. to 30 months in prison, 15 of which conditionally suspended. Both Z. and the Public Prosecutor appealed against this ruling.