On Friday, Dutch prosecutors sought sentences of up to 25 years for a Muslim father and his two sons, who are accused of causing the death of a teenage girl because her “Western” lifestyle allegedly brought dishonor to their family.

Authorities reported that the body of Syrian national Ryan Al Najjar was discovered on May 28, 2024, in a lake near Joure in the northern Netherlands, six days after she vanished. Her hands and feet were tightly bound. Officials apprehended her father and two brothers, then 22 and 24, and charged them in relation to her death, which prosecutors believe occurred on May 22.

The Public Prosecution Service stated on Friday that the accused viewed Ryan as an “unwanted burden” that needed to be eliminated, simply because “she was a young woman who wanted to live her own life.”

According to authorities, her male family members, originating from what was described as a “strict” Islamic background, are accused of killing her because they felt she was “behaving too Western” in the family’s view. Reports indicate Al Najjar became a target after she declined to wear a headscarf in public settings.

Prosecutors indicated on Friday that “the immediate cause of her death appears to be a live video on TikTok, showing Ryan without a headscarf and wearing makeup.” They added that “the video seriously embarrasses the family, according to their posts, as it does not fit within their

Authorities further stated, “Once the suspects were aware of the video, they started looking for Ryan.” The Public Prosecution Service reported that “her brothers visited her in Rotterdam and convinced her to come along to a remote location the night before her murder. She was taken to Knardijk, where their father joined. There she was killed.”

The brothers were identified as Mohamed Al Najjar and Muhanad, and their 53-year-old father as Khaled. Prosecutors stated that all three were charged with the murder of the young woman, with the father also accused of orchestrating the killing before potentially fleeing to Syria.

Investigators claim Al Najjar was brought to an isolated park where “no one for miles around could have heard her” appeals for help. Evidence indicated signs of both strangulation and drowning, and approximately 60 feet of tape had been utilized to into the water alive. Prosecutors noted that Khaled’s DNA was also discovered under his daughter’s fingernails, implying his involvement in the killing.

In a statement issued Friday, the Public Prosecution Service, as reported by NL Times, asserted that “[Khaled] fled to Syria immediately after the murder and left his sons to take the blame. Cowardly.” The statement concluded, “Khaled has completely destroyed his family.”

Dutch authorities further commented that Khaled’s extradition might be challenging because he married a since Al Najjar’s death, the news outlet reported.

The Public Prosecution Service has put forward a recommendation for a 25-year prison term for the father and 20 years for each of the two brothers.

The court is expected to deliver its judgment on January 5.

Digital sought additional details from the Public Prosecution Service.