Brothers' lawyers ask for acquittal for 18-year-old Ryan's honor killing

The lawyers representing Mohamed and Muhanad Al N., brothers of 18-year-old Ryan Al Najjar, who was killed in May last year, asked the judges overseeing their trial in Lelystad to acquit them. The defense said on Monday, there is no conclusive evidence that the two men, ages 23 and 25, were involved in the young woman’s killing. Only their father, Khaled Al N., is guilty of the crime, as he himself has stated.

On May 28 of last year, Ryan was discovered dead in the waters of the Oostvaardersplassen nature reserve near Lelystad. Tape had been used to bind her wrists and legs, and her head had also been wrapped. Investigators believe she drowned. The Public Prosecution Service recommended a 25-year jail sentence for Khaled last week, along with 20-year terms for his two sons.

During a short plea, Khaled’s attorney repeated the confession his client had previously delivered from abroad, stressing that Khaled insists he alone caused Ryan’s death and that no other family members were involved. After the killing, Khaled fled, moving from Germany to Turkey and ultimately resettling in Syria. Muhanad’s lawyer called the situation “unfair and unjust.”

Khaled is the subject of an international search warrant. Prosecutors describe his confession as “convenient,” arguing that his absence shields him from additional questioning, and they dismiss it as “not credible.” The prosecuting attorney maintains that all available evidence shows his two sons had “an essential role” in Ryan’s murder.

Ryan had been away from her family home in Joure, Friesland, for several days. She had been experiencing serious tensions with her father, largely due to her refusal to follow the family’s strict religious expectations and her tendency to adopt Western ways of living.

On the evening of May 27, 2024, Ryan’s brothers located her at a home in Rotterdam and collected her. They then transported her to a secluded area, where she was killed a few hours afterward. Prosecutors argue that she would not have been in that location without their involvement.

Mohamed and Muhanad Al N. maintain that they were not actively involved in the killing. Prosecutors, citing detailed forensic evidence, including data from mobile phones, argue that the brothers were present at the scene. Their lawyers, however, reject these findings, a position the prosecution deems incorrect.

The ruling is scheduled for January 5, and the judge has stated that both brothers should attend the hearing.