A shocking honor killing incident unfolded in Jore, Netherlands, which has shocked the internet. Ryan Al Najjar, 18, was found on May 28, 2024, bound with tape and gagged. Her remains were discovered submerged in a swamp in northern Netherlands. The shocking discovery came only six days after she was missing.
According to Dutch prosecutors, it was a case of honor killing committed by her father and her two brothers, who believed that her “western behavior” was disgracing the family. The investigation revealed that Ryan had stopped wearing her headscarf and was posting herself without it on social media.
“The immediate cause of her death appears to be a live video on TikTok, showing Ryan without a headscarf and wearing makeup,” said the prosecutors. In addition, she also allegedly interacted with men, which her family deemed completely unacceptable.
A young Syrian woman was killed in the Netherlands by her father and brothers: they believed she was bringing “shame” on the family
18-year-old Rayan Al-Najjar was found dead in a swamp near Amsterdam, with her mouth taped shut and her hands tied.
The Dutch prosecutor’s office… pic.twitter.com/os7mY8ipeu
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) November 29, 2025
The killing occurred around midnight on May 22, 2024. On that night, her brothers picked Ryan up from a house in Rotterdam. Then they drove her to a secluded area where her father, Khaled, also joined them. Her father’s presence was confirmed by the DNA that was found under her fingernails.
As reported by the New York Post, a prosecutor said in court, “What must she have feared. In the middle of the night, in complete darkness, in a completely isolated place.”
Ryan’s father later confessed to Dutch media that she indeed killed his daughter. However, he denied his sons’ involvement in the crime. “Khaled was the driving force,” according to investigators. However, they also pointed out that the intercepted message also confirmed the brothers’ involvement.
“Without the sons, Ryan would not have been there at all,” said the prosecutors. The court is expected to deliver a verdict on the case on January 5, 2026. Meanwhile, defense lawyers will present their arguments today. Khaled could face up to 25 years in prison, while his two sons could each receive a 20-year sentence.
18-year-old Syrian Muslim girl Ryan al Najjar was tied up with tape and drowned in a ditch in the Netherlands by her father and brothers for being too ‘Westernized’.
When they were arrested, they defended themselves by claiming honor killings are ‘part of their culture’. pic.twitter.com/ey0PrQFO3f
— Dr. Maalouf (@realMaalouf) May 18, 2025
This is far from the first case of honor killing in the Netherlands. Back in 2023, another similar incident unfolded in the country when Roshin A., 28, was stabbed to death by her eldest brother in broad daylight. Dutch media reported that her ex-husband, her youngest brother, and a cousin also took part in the killing, which was to uphold the family’s honor.
Although the eldest brother claimed that he only wanted to talk to Roshin and “acted on impulse and out of anger,” he, along with the others, was tried for murder ultimately.
