Two men violently beat up a gay man in Amsterdam because of his sexual orientation. Two suspects have been arrested.
Under Dutch law, should it be proven that the men acted out of homophobia, any resulting punishment will be increased by 50 percent.
With the arrest of five pimps and four operators of window brothels in Amsterdam’s Red Light District the Netherlands’ Public Prosecution Service believes it has captured an international gang of human traffickers.
Enforcing their demands with brute violence the gang forced a large number of women to work as prostitutes.
Amsterdam has taken over from the “Costa del Crime” of southern Spain as the preferred hiding place for Britain’s most wanted fugitives, British newspaper The Telegraph says.
Amsterdam police this week appealed for help in finding six British criminals suspected of crimes including rape, manslaughter and drug smuggling, believed to be in hiding in the Dutch City.
A panel of customers of prostitutes in Amsterdam has been advising the city since this summer on issues such as human trafficking and forced prostitution.
Critics say the city’s policy of reducing window prostitution, as part of efforts to spruce up and repupose Amsterdam’s city centre, will force many prostitutes underground — possibly subjecting them to abuse and exploitation.
Nevzat Koyak, the main suspect in the murder of Amsterdam day care center owner Arzu Erbas has in the past been convicted in Turkey for murder.
Meanwhile investigators have determined that, other than first thought, Koyak and Erbas did known each other.
Amsterdam police have arrested three people in relation to a burglary at a sports weapons store in Amsterdam-West last July.
Of the 180 weapons that were stolen only a few have been recovered.
Jealousy over a love affair is the possible motive behind the murder of childcare facility owner Arzu Erbas, Amsterdam police say.
The Turkish-Amsterdam woman arrested earlier this week is thought to have commissioned the murder because she believed her husband had a relationship with Erbas.