DISINFO: The court decision on MH17 challenges the integrity of the Dutch judicial system
SUMMARY
The Dutch court's decision on the crash of Flight MH17 in Ukraine challenges the integrity of the Dutch judicial system. The results of the investigations was based on a political request to support the hypothesis of Russia's involvement in the disaster, under unprecedented pressure from the Dutch politicians, prosecutors and the media.
All the conclusions of the Dutch Public Prosecutor's Office were based on the testimonies of eyewitnesses whose names were not mentioned and whose identities were not revealed, and on questionable statements, including from a party with vested interest, that is, the Ukrainian Security Service. The court did not pay attention to the defence's arguments about the lack of corroborating evidence that the plane was shot down by the Russian-made Buk missile system, and to the documents of the Russian Ministry of Defense regarding the missile.
RESPONSE
Recurrent pro-Kremlin disinformation about downing of flight MH17 and an attempt to discredit the Joint Investigative Team (JIT) and the criminal trial. This claim was neither counterbalanced nor critically challenged in the article.
The verdict of the court published on 17 November 2022 was based on strong evidence.
In its ruling the Court stated that there is no doubt that the MH17 was hit by a Buk missile fired from a farm field near Pervomaiskyi in Ukraine. This field was located in separatist-controlled territory. "This is clear from photographs of a smoke trail in the sky, statements by a protected witness, satellite images, intercepted telephone conversations and transmission mast data, photographs and videos of a Buk TELAR being brought in and removed, and examination of fragments in the remains of a crew member and in the truss and the groove of the aircraft. Investigation in the Netherlands and abroad has not revealed any traces of evidence tampering. Alternative scenarios, for example that the Buk missile was fired from a different area, are ruled out based on the evidence," stated in the final verdict.
See here and here for further debunking by Bellingcat and Polygraph.info, respectively and our interview with the Dutch Safety Board, tasked with investigating the cause of the crash of MH17.
See here for the statement by the EU High Representative Josep Borrell on the Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17 court ruling.
Read more disinformation cases about the downing of flight MH17.