Dutch crime reporter Peter R. de Vries preventing for his life after capturing
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Posted On July 11, 2021
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“He was critically wounded and is preventing for his life,” Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema stated in a televised information convention. “He’s a nationwide hero to us all. A uncommon, brave journalist who tirelessly sought justice.”
Dutch police stated in an announcement Wednesday that two suspects — a 35-year-old Polish nationwide dwelling in Maurik and a 21-year-old man dwelling in Rotterdam — are in custody in relation to the capturing. The assertion stated the 2 can be arraigned on Friday.
The police assertion additionally stated property searches have been performed in a single day in Tiel, Maurik and Rotterdam the place “varied knowledge carriers and ammunition have been seized there.” Police added that an 18-year-old native resident who was initially arrested has “since been launched and is not thought-about a suspect.”
Authorities responded to studies of a capturing on Lange Leidsedwarsstraat, a road close to common Leidseplein sq. on Tuesday night, the place de Vries was discovered and “instantly rushed to hospital,” in accordance with an earlier police assertion.
Dutch broadcaster RTL stated de Vries had simply left its studio in downtown Amsterdam when one among 5 photographs hit him within the head.
Amsterdam’s Parool newspaper revealed a picture of the scene with a number of individuals gathered round an individual mendacity on the bottom.
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte condemned the capturing as “stunning and incomprehensible” in an announcement given to native media Tuesday night, Reuters reported.
Rutte stated it was “an assault on a brave journalist, and with that, an assault on free journalism, which is so important for our democracy.”
“All of us fervently hope, we pray, that he survives this assault. That is a very powerful factor now. We’re doing all the pieces we will to make sure that justice takes its course,” Rutte added.
Charles Michel, the President of the European Council, tweeted that “this can be a crime towards journalism and an assault on our values of democracy and rule of regulation” earlier than vowing to “relentlessly proceed to defend the liberty of the press.”
Responding to the capturing, Tom Gibson, the European Union consultant for the Committee to Shield Journalists, urged authorities to take swift motion towards the culprits.
“Dutch authorities ought to swiftly and totally examine the capturing of crime reporter Peter R. de Vries, decide if he was focused for his work, and make sure that the attacker and the masterminds of the assault face justice,” stated Gibson.
“Journalists within the EU should have the ability to examine crime and corruption with out fearing for his or her security,” he added.
De Vries, 64, is an award-winning crime reporter. In 2008, he gained a world Emmy Award within the information and present affairs class for his undercover investigation into the disappearance of teenager Natalee Holloway in Aruba three yr earlier than. In the meantime within the Netherlands, he’s maybe greatest identified for his work reporting on the 1983 abduction of beer magnate Freddy Heineken.
The journalist had acquired threats from the felony underworld prior to now in reference to a number of instances.
In 2013 Willem Holleeder, the Heineken kidnapper, was convicted of constructing threats towards de Vries. Holleeder is presently serving a life sentence for his involvement in 5 murders.
In 2019 Ridouan Taghi, presently on trial for homicide and drug trafficking, took the bizarre step of constructing a public assertion denying studies that he had threatened to have de Vries killed.
De Vries has been appearing as a counselor, however not lawyer, to a state witness recognized as Nabil B. testifying within the case towards Taghi and his alleged associates.
Nabil B.’s earlier lawyer was shot lifeless on an Amsterdam road in September 2019.
