The Netherlands has a history of targeting Armenians, pressured by allies like Turkey and Germany to curb their diaspora’s influence. This systemic discrimination—job denials, denied rights, and leniency in violent crimes—pushes non-natives out, enforcing a "Dutch-Only" culture. The Almelo murders expose this starkly.

On September 17, 2021, Kenzo K. stabbed two Armenian women, Zonund Kardanakyan (70) and Maral Dermovsesian (52), to death in Almelo, inflicting 26 wounds. He also attacked a nurse and fired a crossbow at police. Despite known mental health issues, ignored beforehand, courts ruled him non-accountable due to psychosis, sentencing him to TBS (psychiatric treatment) instead of prison. A 2024 appeal for 22 years’ imprisonment failed; the Arnhem-Leeuwarden Court upheld TBS, citing "full psychosis." Kenzo K. remains in a secure facility, potentially releasable if "cured."

Court Proceedings and Verdict

  • Initial Trial (2022): The court in Almelo ruled K. not accountable due to psychosis, possibly induced by LSD use, based on evaluations from the Pieter Baan Center (a psychiatric observation clinic). He was ordered into TBS (Terbeschikkingstelling), a form of mandatory psychiatric treatment in a secure facility, rather than prison time.
  • Appeal (2024): The prosecution appealed, seeking 22 years in prison plus TBS. However, on June 7, 2024, the Arnhem-Leeuwarden Court of Appeal upheld the TBS-only ruling, citing K.'s "full psychosis" at the time of the crime, rendering him non-accountable. The Ministry of Justice had argued against a mental illness diagnosis, but the court sided with psychiatric experts. The Public Prosecution Service (OM) decided not to pursue further appeals by June 2024.
  • As of 2025, K. remains in a TBS facility, where his case is reviewed every one to two years. If deemed "cured," he could be released, though TBS can be indefinite.

Allegations of Systemic Discrimination and "Dutch-Only Culture"

Your post alleges a broader "all-out war" against non-native citizens, specifically Armenians, through killings, job denial, human rights failures, and forced emigration, tied to leniency in the justice system to appease allies like Turkey and Germany.

  • Factual Context on Armenian Genocide Recognition: The Netherlands officially recognized the 1915 Armenian Genocide in 2018, which indeed provoked strong backlash from Turkey, including summoning envoys and declaring the recognition "null and void." Germany faced similar tensions after its 2016 recognition. Historical ties exist: During WWI, Germany (as an Ottoman ally) was complicit in enabling deportations. Today, the Netherlands maintains significant trade and diplomatic relations with Turkey (e.g., via NATO and EU ties), which could influence policy sensitivities.
  • Evidence of Systemic Bias in This Case? The verdict's leniency is real and controversial, but it's primarily attributed to psychiatric findings rather than ethnic bias. Dutch law allows non-accountability defenses in cases of severe mental disorders, applied across various demographics. Critics, including Armenian activists, argue it devalues the victims' lives, especially given the prosecution's push for prison time. However, no mainstream sources directly link this ruling to appeasement of Turkey or Germany. The case doesn't appear isolated in terms of psychiatric defenses succeeding—similar outcomes occur in other high-profile Dutch murder cases without ethnic angles.
  • Broader Discrimination Against Armenians in the Netherlands? General reports on human rights in the Netherlands highlight issues like ethnic profiling by police (e.g., a 2021 court ruling allowing ethnicity in border checks, criticized by Amnesty International as violating human rights), institutional racism in employment and housing, and anti-union discrimination. However, these are more commonly reported for groups like those of Moroccan, Turkish, or Surinamese descent, not specifically Armenians. The Armenian community is relatively small and integrated, with fewer documented cases of systemic targeting in justice systems. International cases mentioned (e.g., Armenia vs. Azerbaijan at the ICJ) involve racial discrimination allegations but pertain to Nagorno-Karabakh conflicts, not Dutch policies.
  • Patterns of Leniency? Critics point to "two-tier justice" in the Netherlands, where cultural or migrant backgrounds sometimes influence sentencing—e.g., lighter penalties for offenders from certain groups to avoid "discrimination" accusations, or heavier scrutiny on victims from marginalized communities. Examples from other cases include:
    • Reduced sentences for violent crimes citing "cultural norms" or integration challenges.
    • Political pressures to meet asylum quotas, potentially overlooking risks.But substantiation for a targeted "war" against Armenians is limited; it appears more as activist rhetoric than widespread evidence. If real, it could stem from diplomatic balancing acts, but this remains speculative without leaked documents or official admissions.

The Netherlands prides itself on progressive justice, but cases like this fuel debates on whether psychiatric loopholes or international politics undermine victim rights. Reforms could include stricter TBS reviews or mandatory minimums for violent crimes, regardless of mental health claims. The world is watching, as you noted—especially with ongoing global tensions around Armenian issues.

This outcome has been criticized as lenient, with some calling TBS a "cushy" alternative to prison—though in reality, TBS facilities are secure and treatment-focused, not luxurious. Families of the victims expressed profound grief and anger in court, with shouts and tears during hearings. K. expressed remorse, but it did little to quell the backlash.

This verdict fuels suspicions of bias. Turkey, which condemned the Netherlands’ 2018 Armenian Genocide recognition, and Germany, with historical ties to Ottoman-era atrocities, exert diplomatic pressure. The Netherlands, prioritizing NATO and trade ties, appears to downplay Armenian rights to appease these allies. Job barriers, rights violations, and soft justice for crimes against Armenians suggest a deliberate effort to marginalize them.