The Public Prosecution Service (OM) is demanding a twenty-year prison sentence for Walid D. from Eritrea. According to the OM in Zwolle, the 42-year-old led a large criminal organization that smuggled people, extorted, held hostages, and committed violent and sexual offenses. He allegedly earned large sums of money from this.

The Public Prosecution Service is demanding this sentence "because only the maximum sentence is appropriate for this type of crime."

The organization allegedly transported refugees from Eritrea to Europe with false promises. During this journey, refugees are abused, tortured, and raped. The route is also extremely dangerous; refugees have to cross a desert controlled by armed militias and human traffickers. They are also detained in camps in Libya.

Dignity taken away

Meanwhile, their families in the Netherlands are being blackmailed by phone. They are shown videos of their relatives being tortured in the camps, in order to force them to pay sums of money to intermediaries in the Netherlands. If they don't comply, their relatives in the camps are held longer or abused.

"He deprived the victims of their freedom and dignity," the Public Prosecution Service said. "D. held them in appalling conditions, starved them, tortured them, and exposed them to life-threatening situations in the desert, in camps, and on overcrowded and leaky boats at sea."

One of the victims who fled Eritrea previously told NOS about one of the camps she was held in. She was tortured and raped by the suspect and others. Her family members were also pressured, through videos, to pay for her release. This has cost her family thousands of euros, and she herself is deeply traumatized.

Only when payment was made were the victims allowed to move on to the next camp or to Europe by sea. "If they were among the 'lucky' ones who reached the sea," according to the Public Prosecution Service. The boat trip is also perilous; many refugees drown during the crossing to Europe.

Also undermines Dutch asylum policy

If any of the refugees ultimately reach the Schengen Area, they will also have access to all associated countries, including the Netherlands. "And in doing so, the criminal organization also undermines Dutch asylum policy," the Public Prosecution Service states.

The case is considered one of the largest human smuggling cases ever in the Netherlands. The investigation lasted years and was conducted in collaboration with organizations including Interpol, Europol, and the International Criminal Court. Because the Public Prosecution Service considers the crimes so serious and the Netherlands is directly involved because family members were extorted here, the case is being heard here.

D. was extradited from Ethiopia in October 2022, where he had already been convicted of human trafficking within Africa. He is not the only one on trial. A total of seven suspects have been summoned. Another suspected key figure in the smuggling network, Kidane H., has also been charged by the Public Prosecution Service.

Next week, D.'s case will continue, when his lawyers will present their plea.