Royce de Vries wants to use summary proceedings to prevent the AD from publishing another article based on the tapes of his father Peter R. de Vries. What does he have to hide?
The secret recordings made by the late Peter R. de Vries caused the premature end of Khalid Kasem’s television career after they were leaked last week. But Royce de Vries’ office is also in danger, because together with dad he covered up the misdeeds of their former partner Khalid. Knowingly and willingly.
What does Royce fear?
The AD now wants to make another article based on those Peter R. de Vries tapes and Royce is terribly nervous about that. So nervous that he has filed summary proceedings against the newspaper, which will be heard on Thursday in Amsterdam. “This alone is causing major interference with press freedom,” says editor-in-chief Rennie Rijpma.
What is Royce so nervous about? “You are curious about what else was said in those old recordings,” said Renze Klamer in his talk show on RTL 4. Table guest Youp van ‘t Hek: “Yes, I find it all quite funny anyway… That you are having a conversation and that is recorded, as it turns out later. So this is quite serious information.”
Two arguments
Royce actually only has two arguments to stop that article, says communications expert Lars Duursma. First of all, they are secret keeper conversations, he explains The Communicados. “That is actually a somewhat laughable argument, because if it really is such a confidential conversation then you should not have recorded it.”
The second argument will be that his safety may be at risk, Lars expects. “I find it all a bit hypocritical, because Peter R. de Vries threw one stolen police file after another into the air with his crime program – apparently it was all allowed. He had no problem with it himself.”
‘Intervene immediately!’
Peter R. used the same working method for years, Lars continues. “But if a tape recorded by Peter R. de Vries is used by respectable crime journalists for socially relevant publications, no, then his son’s judge must intervene immediately.”
Lars understands that Royce is pinching him. “The legal problems for him may be even greater than those for Khalid Kasem, because he has already deregistered as a lawyer. Royce de Vries is a partner in a law firm. And what is this case ultimately about for him? The financial integrity of his office.”
8,000 euros
Khalid admits on the tapes that he accepted 8,000 euros in cash from a client to bribe an official. Now the presenter simply claims that he wanted to get paid himself. “Even if Royce knew that a customer has been defrauded, he has a duty to report this immediately to the dean. But he swept it under the rug.”
Then you really have a big problem, says Lars. The cover up according to him, is worse than the crime itself. “He risks a blanket complaint and that could have enormous consequences for his ability to continue to be a lawyer.”
How does Royce’s reputation-saving dance turn out? One thing is certain: his own secrets now seem more dangerous than those of his clients.
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