Dutch trial seeks to uncover justice for MH17 families

A man attends the unveiling of the National Monument for the MH17 victims in Vijfhuizen, the Netherlands on Monday. Three years after the flight was shot down by a missile over Ukraine, more than 2,000 relatives gathered to unveil a “living memorial” to their loved ones. A total of 298 trees have been planted in the shape of a green ribbon for each of the victims on board the Malaysia Airlines flight en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. Photo: AFP

The Netherlands will put four people on trial next week over the downing of flight MH17 over Ukraine in 2014, giving families hope of justice even if the suspects are not in the dock.

For more than five years relatives have called for the prosecution of those responsible for shooting down the Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 with the loss of all 298 men, women and children on board.

The jet traveling from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur was torn apart by a Russian-made missile over part of eastern Ukraine held by pro-Moscow rebels, spreading bodies and debris over a wide area.

A Dutch-led international probe last year made its first charges in the case, accusing Russians Igor Girkin, Sergei Dubinsky, Oleg Pulatov and Ukrainian citizen Leonid Kharchenko of involvement.

None is expected to be at the high-security court near Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport on Monday, but family members will be out in force for the start of what is expected to be a year-long trial.

“For the next of kin this is a very important moment,” said Piet Ploeg, head of a foundation for MH17 victims who lost his brother, sister-in-law and nephew on the doomed flight.

“We will hear what happened, why it happened, what was the role of the Russian state. I hope, I am convinced, we will get all the answers that we have not had for five-and-a-half years,” he told AFP.

Relatives will be allowed inside the courtroom to watch, while a media center has been built outside the stark concrete building to house more than 400 journalists from around the globe.

The downing of MH17 on July 17, 2014 horrified the world, with its images of wreckage strewn across Ukrainian sunflower fields and some victims including children still strapped into their seats, their faces masks of agony.

Of the dead, 196 were from the Netherlands, and Dutch authorities aided by Australia, Belgium, Malaysia and Ukraine have relentlessly pursued the case ever since.

Investigators say the BUK anti-aircraft missile was fired from rebel territory.

“We have always questioned the objectivity of the work of the investigative team, as we were deprived the chance to participate in it,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday.

The first week of the trial is expected to deal with so-called housekeeping issues rather than hearing evidence, but it will include the crucial detail of whether the suspects will turn up.

One is known to have appointed a lawyer but since neither Russia nor Ukraine extradites its nationals, it is almost certain they will be tried in absentia.

Prosecutors say the suspects were all linked to the separatists and were instrumental in bringing the missile to Ukraine.

AFP