“Those responsible for shooting down MH17 should be sent to prison. If they are guilty, the international community should track them down,” Van Zijtveld told AFP.
For Van Zijtveld and others who lost loved ones when a Boeing 777 flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur was hit by a Russian-supplied missile, prosecutors say, the loss is still felt years later.
Large photographs of Frederique and Robert-Jan decorate the home of Van Zijtveld and his wife Grace, who also lost their mother Neeltje Voorham (77) and stepfather Jan van der Steen (71) in the disaster.
One of the photos shows a smiling Van Zijtveld hugging his daughter, which was ironically taken in the departures lounge at Schiphol Airport as Frederique was leaving for his next trip.
“Mad is the wrong word,” sighed Van Zijtveld, a tall and dapper Dutchman who has won widespread respect for his work helping other relatives of victims deal with grief and making a fund for disadvantaged children.
“I’m just very sad. My children and my parents-in-law spent their holidays in the eastern part of the world. They were hit by BUK. They were murdered. They were wonderful people.”
Prosecutors say the 4 suspects played key roles in delivering the rocket.
Russians Igor Girkin, Sergei Dubinsky, Oleg Pulatov and Ukrainian citizen Leonid Kharchenko face life imprisonment if convicted of murder and causing a plane crash.
About an hour’s drive east, within the village of Renkum, Sander Essers says he often listens to music to assist him deal together with his sadness.
The 72-year-old lost his brother Peter, sister-in-law Jolette Nuesink and two children Emma (20) and Valentijn (17).
The families of MH17 hope that the reality will emerge from the unprecedented trial
The families of MH17 hope that the reality will emerge from the unprecedented trial
“Some evenings I take a while to take heed to my brother’s favorite Brazilian music, take into consideration him and his family and cry,” Essers told AFP.
“For me, the decision will likely be a partial end to the seek for justice for my dear family… I hope that the legal evidence will likely be sufficient to achieve a verdict.”
Both Van Zijtveld and Essers say the decision, whatever the judges’ decision, will likely be a milestone after greater than eight years of heartache, often under intense media glare.
Many grieving relatives testified through the trial, which began in March 2020, providing heartbreaking accounts of the impact of losing family members.
“This is a kind of closure, this stage. It’s too difficult to start all over again,” Van Zijtveld said.
Investigators release calls linking MH17 suspects to Russian officials
Investigators release calls linking MH17 suspects to Russian officials
He had harsh words against the four defendants.
“They are real cowards” for not coming to court, he said, and his eyes flashed with anger for the primary time.
Essers urged those involved within the downing of MH17 to come back clean, saying there was no probability of forgiveness until they spoke up.
“Open up if you ever want to be at peace with yourself and be able to look at yourself with at least some sense of dignity,” he said when asked what his message was to those involved.
Van Zijtveld, nonetheless, took a tougher stance.
“I am unable to accept this,” he said.
“My children and parents-in-law were murdered. I am unable to forgive them. I can never do that.
