Amsterdam
The Dutch-born Muslim who fatally shot and stabbed filmmaker Theo van Gogh got the maximum sentence of life in prison this week. The victim was the great-grandnephew of Vincent van Gogh. A life sentence is extremely rare in the Netherlands, which has no death penalty. Muhammad Bouyeri had earlier shocked the country with his declaration that he felt no regret for the killing, because van Gogh “deserved to die” for making a film that was critical of Islam. “The defendant rejects the democratic system in its entirety,” said Judge Udo Willem Bentinck. “Society must receive the maximum protection from this defendant.” Bouyeri, the son of Moroccan immigrants, was born and raised in Amsterdam.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Perfect summer beach readsThe Week Recommends Ditch the dreary for a 'dose of delight' on your next trip away
-
Follow in Monet's footsteps on Le Meurice's art trailThe Week Recommends Guests are transported back to Paris' Impressionist era with a knowledgeable guide
-
Sowaka: a fusion of old and new in KyotoThe Week Recommends Japanese tradition and modern hospitality mesh perfectly at this restored ryokan
