The Public Prosecution Service (OM) demands 25 years and twice 20 years imprisonment in the Ryan case. The 18-year-old woman was found in May 2024 in the water near Knardijk in Lelystad. The OM has evidence that her father and brothers caused Ryans death. They saw Ryan as a burden that had to be removed. Simply because she was a young woman who wanted to live her own life.
On May 28, 2024, the lifeless body of 18-year-old Ryan from Joure was found in the Oostvaardersplassen. She was lying face down in the water along a secluded willow path near Knardijk. Her hands were tied behind her back. Her ankles were tightly taped together. There were signs of strangulation, but also of drowning. 18 meters of tape was used to bind Ryan, after which she was thrown alive into the water. She must have been very scared there, in the middle of the night in pitch darkness, says the public prosecutor. Did she scream, fight, beg? In vain, because no one in the wide vicinity could hear her.
Honor-related violence
Ryan came from a strict Islamic family about which the police were already aware of several incidents. Ryan struggled with traditional views. She was threatened and abused by her father and brothers. From 2022, Ryan stayed several times in institutions and shelters. In the weeks before her death, the threat from the family increased. In the family app, they discussed how to deal with Ryan. Father and brothers sent suggestions to each other: They should poison Ryan or make sure she hangs herself.
The direct cause of her death seems to be a live video on TikTok, in which Ryan appeared without a headscarf and wearing makeup. In the video, she shared her name and the names of her family members. The video embarrassed the family seriously, as their messages showed, because it did not fit within their traditional views.
Once the suspects became aware of the video, they went looking for Ryan. According to the OM, her brothers found her in Rotterdam and convinced her to come along. She was taken to Knardijk, where their father joined. There she was killed.
Continuous contact
Based on the evidence, a clear reconstruction of the evening can be made. During the trip to Lelystad, the car was recorded several times on camera. App conversations show that the three men were in continuous contact. They texted about avoiding highways, bringing tape, and whether it was better to leave the girl in the forest or in a lake. At some point, the father drove from Joure to Knardijk. His car was also registered at various points along the route.
According to the OM, phone data shows that the father, Ryan, and at least one of the brothers walked to the water. Step counters show they covered almost the same distance at roughly the same time. One of the phones recorded that floors were walked. This corresponds to the stairs on the route to the water.
Under Ryans nails is DNA from her father. His DNA traces and a fingerprint were found on the tape. In a statement sent to De Telegraaf, the father admitted to murdering his daughter without help from anyone else.
All three guilty of murder
According to the OM, the evidence shows that all three suspects knew what was going to happen that evening. They collaborated in planning, finding, transporting, and ultimately killing Ryan. Therefore, all three must be convicted of complicity in murder. The story the brothers later told the police is also not credible according to the OM. Their claim that they stayed in the car at Knardijk does not match the evidence.
The OM strongly condemns the suspects methods and views. The way the brothers convinced their sister that they would protect her. The dark, lonely place where she ended up, while they knew how scared she was in the dark. The way they spoke about her in chats: a pig that had to be slaughtered. And the gruesome way she met her end.
Sentence demand
When determining the sentence demand, the OM considered the nature of the facts, the role of the different suspects, and their personal circumstances. The OM believes the murder was committed jointly but sees the father as the ringleader. Therefore, a 25-year prison sentence is appropriate for him. Given the age of the two brothers and their position relative to their father, the OM demands somewhat lower sentences for them, namely: 20 years imprisonment.
The court will deliver its verdict on January 5.
