Former lecturer Laurens Buijs sentenced to five months in prison
Former sociology lecturer at the University of Amsterdam, Laurens Buijs, was sentenced on Tuesday by the Amsterdam District Court to five months in prison, three of which are suspended, according to NRC. Buijs was arrested earlier this year after threatening, defaming and doxxing colleagues and journalists on social media.
In October, Buijs appeared in court. At the time, the Public Prosecution Service demanded a prison sentence equal to the 88 days he had already spent in custody, along with 60 hours of community service and a two-month suspended sentence. On Tuesday, however, the court decided to drop the community service and extend the prison term. As Buijs has already served the unconditional part of his sentence while in pre-trial detention, he will not have to return to prison. The three-month suspended sentence carries a probation period of two years.
Journalist Chris Klomp, whose window was smashed after an online message by Buijs, has been awarded €4,000 in compensation.
Mental health problems
During the trial, Buijs expressed remorse and admitted to posting the inflammatory messages on social media, which targeted fellow academics including Jan Willem Duyvendak and Marion Koopmans. He also told the court that he is currently receiving treatment for bipolar disorder.
The judge took his mental health problems and diminished responsibility into account when delivering the verdict. The former lecturer must undergo monitoring for cannabis use and remain under probation supervision.
