Date: Sat, 6 May 1995 16:45:22 +0200
From: berts@xs4all.nl (Bert Schuur)
Subject: Dutch Gay News 060595

Man Convicted For Raping Prostitutes

A Rotterdam court has sentenced a patron of boys' brothels to a
jail sentence of 2 1/2 years. He was convicted for having raped
several under-age boys from the age of 13, working in boys-
clubs in Amsterdam and Rotterdam. The state prosecution
had asked for 4 year imprisonment. The 41 year old man is the
first of a group of 26 men to be prosecuted over the next few
months for having abused male prostitutes. The court found the
fact that the man deliberately abused the prostitutes against
their will an aggravating circumstance in the case. If the now
convicted man does not seek counselling for sex-offenders he
will be imprisoned for another 1/2 year.


Suspect in Gay Murder Case identified after 18 years

As a result of the introduction of automated comparison of
archived fingerprints by the BKA (German state police) a sus-
pect has been identified in the murder of a 58-year old Dutch
gay man in december 1977 in Zaanstad. As police had found out,
the victim, a teacher of ballet, was in the habit of taking
home male prostitutes, but despite investigations in this di-
rection and a few well-preserved fingerprints police had not
been able make any arrests. Last week however the BKA identi-
fied the fingerprints as belonging to a German man currently
residing in Pakistan. Holland will ask Pakistan for his extra-
diction, just 7 months before the term of limitation of the
murder would have ended.


In Remembrance...

On may 4th the Dutch remember those who died during 5 years of
NAZI-occupation (1940-1945). While the national remembrance
meeting took place at Dam-square, at the homo-monument on Wes-
termarkt the gay community commemorated those who were victimi-
sed by the NAZI's for being gay. Some 400 gays and lesbians
observed 2 minutes of silence at 20:00 after which Amsterdam's
Alderman for social well-being and gay emancipation, mrs. Jik-
kie van der Giessen in her speech reminded those present that,
although much has changed in Holland, the struggle against
homophobia and racial discrimination has to go on. In her spee-
ch columnist Karin Spaink praised the increased acceptance of
homosexuality in Dutch society. She attacked fiercely those who
argue against memorial services because once you start forget-
ting the past it may come back. She pleaded for gays and lesbi-
ans to be given their rightfull place in history and reminded
those present that as late as the early 80's the gay community
was banned from honouring it's dead. While 2 choirs sang fune-
ral hymns flowers were placed on top of the homo-monument.

Love from Holland,


Bert Schuur

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