MH17 ruling in November at earliest

The court will rule in the extensive MH17 trial on November 17th at the earliest, but the ruling could also happen on December 15th. The court chairman announced this on Monday at the start of the hearing in the high-security court at Schiphol.

The court had reserved three possible dates for the ruling. The first date was September 22, but the case will definitely not be done by then, the chairman said.

After over two years, the massive trial is now in its final phase. The Public Prosecution Service (OM) demanded life in prison against the four suspects. Only one suspect, the Russian Oleg Pulatov, appointed lawyers to represent him. They pleaded for acquittal. The OM will respond to this on Monday. Lawyers for the next of kin will also get a chance to speak. The court set three days this week aside for their responses.

Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 was shot down on July 17, 2014, in eastern Ukraine, where an armed conflict between Ukrainians and pro-Russian separatists was happening at the time. The aircraft was en route from Schiphol to the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur. All 298 people on board were killed. Among them were many Dutch.