Dutch crime journalist Peter R. de Vries has died 9 days after he was shot in the head in Amsterdam, according to a statement by his family published by RTL News.
“Peter fought to the end, but he could not win the battle. He is surrounded by people that love him,” the statement said. “Peter lived by his conviction: ‘On bended knee is no way to be free.’ We are impossibly proud of him and at the same time inconsolable.
“His family, partner, and loved ones want to process his death in peace and we ask everyone to respect that.”
The crime journalist was well known for his investigative work exposing the criminal underworld. On July 6, he was shot five times, including at least once in the head. This happened on a busy street in central Amsterdam shortly after appearing on a show at RTL TV studios.
De Vries was well known for pursuing cold cases in the Netherlands. Through his work he exposed cases of injustice. He had hosted his own TV show on investigative reporting for over 20 years.
As a result of his work, he would receive dead threats on several cases.
“Peter R. de Vries was always dedicated, tenacious, afraid of nothing and no one. Always looking for the truth and standing up for justice. And therefore all the more dramatic that he himself has now become victim to a great injustice,” Rutte said in a statement on Twitter.
“We owe it to Peter R. de Vries to ensure that justice takes its course. We may and will never tolerate this in the Netherlands.”
Amsterdam’s mayor paid tribute to de Vries, calling him “courageous, free-spirited, and determined.”
“He helped people in their fight for justice and kept the rule of law on track with his critical attitude towards authorities and investigative bodies,” Femke Halsema said in a statement.
“For that we are very grateful to him.”
Press freedom campaigners have condemned the shooting and pushed for a thorough investigation, with the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) calling on Dutch authorities to determine whether De Vries was “targeted for his work.”
Tom Gibson, CPJ’s EU representative and advocacy manager, stated that: “Journalists in the EU must be able to investigate crime and corruption without fearing for their safety.”
In 2018, De Vries won an international Emmy Award in the news and current affairs category for his undercover investigation into the disappearance of teenager Natalee Holloway in Aruba 3 years before.
De Vries is also well-known for his in-depth reports on the 1983 abduction of beer magnate Freddy Heineken.
