Last July, a Dutch woman from Delft was found dead in her apartment. Her husband (78), who was immediately arrested, has just admitted to murdering her — but he says she asked him to do it.
The man’s confession became public at his court hearing, held in The Hague earlier this week, reports the AD.
“At her request”
The man, Harry van S., said he suffocated his wife “at her request”.
According to the woman’s relatives and neighbours, things “were not going well” for her, writes RTL Nieuws.
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However, the public prosecutor notes that “there are no concrete indications that she wanted to die.”
And even if there were, they stress that “as a citizen, you are not allowed to decide for someone else when it is time to die.”
No provisional release
Van S. is accused of murder and “termination of life on request”, two crimes carrying long sentences.
His lawyer, however, requested a provisional release, citing the “special circumstances” around this case and the suspect’s age — but the court denied it.
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According to the judge, van S. “appears to have actively committed acts that contributed to the death of [his] wife.” As such, his provisional release would cause “social unrest.”
“My client has made a statement about his actions and will accept the consequences,” concluded the lawyer.
Therefore, van S. will remain in custody at least until January 23, when the trial is due to resume.
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