Today, the Court of Appeal in The Hague acquitted a Syrian defendant of all charges, including membership of a terrorist organisation and human trafficking. In 2018, the Rotterdam District Court had initially convicted the defendant for membership of a Jabhat al-Nusra and complicity in the organisation of another refugee's escape from Syria to the Netherlands. The District Court had sentenced the defendant to 4 years imprisonment.
In appeal, the public prosecutor had requested a sentence of 6 years. However, the Appeal Court overturned the judgment and acquitted the defendant on all counts due to lack of evidence.
The defendant was represented in the case by Ms Frederieke Dölle.