Blog

News and publications

20 April 2025

Rabobank to appear in court for possible breach of anti-money laundering law (Wwft)

On 9 April, the Public Prosecutor's Office (OM) announced via a press release that it has decided to summon Rabobank for violating...

27 February 2025

From now on, more community service sentences instead of prison sentences, prosecutor says

For this purpose, the instrument of the punishment order will be used more often. It is now common knowledge that prison sentences are overcrowded while there is a huge shortage of...

31 December 2024

Some key changes to the detention regime from 1 January 2025

For detainees, furloughs and the system of promotion and demotion are important issues. They affect how detention is endured and...

12 November 2024

Free, unless...

Both within penitentiary institutions (PIs) and outside, it is noticeable that the Dutch criminal justice system is stalled. Due to understaffing at police Public Prosecution Service (OM) and...

6 October 2024

On witness testimony and the workings of memory

In many criminal cases, the prosecution uses witness statements that incriminate a defendant. For a lawyer, this is often a reason...

25 June 2024

Does EU directive 'PSP-CESOP' leave no more room for VAT fraudsters?

Trade over the internet, or e-commerce, has become an integral part of our daily lives. The range of products available on the internet continues to grow...

26 May 2024

Court of Justice: EncroChat evidence is not simply usable

Court of Justice In addition to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) based in Strasbourg, France, which mainly handles complaints about human rights violations,...

11 April 2024

Underground banking poses one of biggest money laundering threats to Netherlands, but cash payments remain possible

Tackling money laundering continues to be a government spearhead in the fight against organised crime. Dutch policy to prevent and repress...

25 February 2024

On (the distribution of) illegally obtained benefit

It is settled case law, including from the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), that money allegedly earned from criminal offences,...

13 January 2024

European Court of Human Rights reprimands the Netherlands

The Netherlands is not the best boy in the class when it comes to human rights compliance. In the recent past, the European Court of...

1 December 2023

When are acts of preparation referred to in the Opium Act?

In many drug cases, defendants are accused of committing criminal acts of preparation or promotion. Acts of preparation or promotion are acts that in themselves do not...

13 October 2023

The Yüksel Yalçınkaya case: On the use of encrypted messaging applications and due process

Late last September, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) ruled in a case brought by a Turkish...