Sentencing confirmed for Amsterdam girl's kidnappers; Insiya still gone 9 years later

Sentencing Confirmed for Amsterdam Girl's Kidnappers

The Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that the case against five men involved in the abduction of Amsterdam girl Insiya nine years ago will not be retried. The sentences imposed are final and upheld, following the Advocate General's recommendation from July.

Details of the Kidnapping

On 29 September 2016, multiple men forcibly abducted the then 2-year-old Insiya from her grandmother’s home in Amsterdam. Her father, Shehzad Hemani, the main suspect, hired an international team for the kidnapping and took her to India. The girl, now 11, is still believed to be in India, and her mother, Nadia Rashid, has had no contact with her for nine years.

Legal Proceedings and Sentences

The Public Prosecution Service (OM) described the kidnapping as a meticulously planned operation. Previous courts sentenced six kidnappers to prison terms of up to four years. Among them is Hemani’s cousin, Imran S., who is currently in India. Hemani himself was sentenced on appeal to 8.5 years in prison in May 2024.

Extrajudicial Challenges

Despite repeated requests by the OM, India has refused to extradite Hemani and others involved.

Hemani filed a cassation petition with the Supreme Court, claiming he was denied a fair trial. Because of the arrest warrant against him, he chose not to attend the trial in person and requested to participate via video link. The Court of Appeal denied this request.

"According to the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal was permitted to make this decision, and that was not grounds for retrying the case."

Summary

The Supreme Court upheld the sentences for the kidnappers, concluding the trial process was fair despite challenges, while Insiya remains missing in India.

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NL Times — 2025-11-05