娱乐英语新闻:Dutch top criminal loses case on banning movie

THE HAGUE, 21 Oct. (Xinhua) -- One of the best-known Dutch criminals Willem Holleeder lost a lawsuit on Friday to prohibit the release of a film on the kidnapping of beer brewer Freddy Heineken in which he played a key role.

Holleeder was sentenced to 11 years in 1986 for his part in the high-profile kidnapping of Freddy Heineken, at that time the director of the Dutch brewer Heineken, and his chauffeur Ab Doderer.

The Dutch-language film "The Heineken Kidnapping", which is scheduled to be released on Oct. 24, is a fictionalized version of the event.

According to Holleeder he is incorrectly put down as a ruthless criminal in the film, and therefore asked for a ban. Although his character does not appear in the film, the filmmakers created a fictitious kidnapper who looked like Holleeder.

Film producer IDTV welcomed the verdict. "This is an important ruling," IDTV's lawyer Jens van den Brink told the media. "The principle of freedom of speech was at stake in this case."

Holleeder, now 53, was not allowed to attend the lawsuit. He is currently in the final stages of a new nine-year prison sentence imposed on him for extortion.

As the judge in Amsterdam did not see any grounds to ban the movie and rejected his claim.