Dutch prosecutors seek 16-year sentence for suspect in attempted assassination of Kurdish politician

Sadegh Zarza survived an assassination attempt in the Netherlands on June 21, 2020. (Photo: Social Media)
Sadegh Zarza survived an assassination attempt in the Netherlands on June 21, 2020. (Photo: Social Media)

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Prosecutors asked a Dutch court on Tuesday to hand down a 16-year jail term to a 39-year old male who attempted to kill an Iranian Kurdish politician one year ago.

On June 19, 2020, the 64-year-old former leadership member of the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI) Sadegh Zarza survived a grisly public stabbing in the Dutch city of Leeuwarden. 

Read More: Kurdish Iranian politician survives assassination attempt in the Netherlands

Although he survived the incident, nerve damage has left half of his face paralyzed and separate wounds left two of his fingers badly damaged.

Initially, the family blamed the Iranian state, which has been behind the assassinations of various other Kurdish leaders in Europe in the past.

Shortly after his arrest, the suspect said he had a personal motive. According to Bonthuis, his unnamed client said he “wanted to kill Zarza” because he holds him and the PDKI “responsible for the deaths of four friends.”

The Dutch prosecution, however, has said they have found no proof that Tehran was ultimately responsible. The investigation apparently showed no indication that the suspect was acting on political motives or on behalf of any other party, Dutch media reported, and said that he is legally responsible for his actions.

Last year, a former classmate in Iran called Zarza in the Netherlands and asked, as a favor, that he provide some assistance to his son who was about to begin studies in Rotterdam. Zarza agreed to meet the son at the Leeuwarden train station.

The suspect apparently had been waiting at the station for hours with a bouquet of flowers. After his initial meeting with Zarza, the suspect immediately stabbed the victim 22 times.

Editing by John J. Catherine