Justice
Court of Appeal Denies Compensation for Forced Labor by Sisters of the Good Shepherd
The Court of Appeal in Amsterdam ruled that claims for compensation by eighteen women who performed forced labor at the Sisters of the Good Shepherd convents were time-barred, rejecting their appeal despite acknowledging their suffering. The court determined that the twenty-year statutory limitation period had not been broken because the nature of the work was known to the victims at the time, even if later classified as forced labor. Lawyers Liesbeth Zegveld and Brechtje Vossenberg expressed disappointment, describing the ruling as societal failure, and announced plans to appeal to the Supreme Court and the UN Women's Committee. While the Dutch government previously awarded 5,000 euros per person to victims based on a 2020 report, the religious order apologized but denied liability. A follow-up documentary series by VPRO will feature new testimonies and details of the legal battle.
Ozetta summarises; the reporting is the newsroom's