A total of 71 criminals appear on the Europe's Most Wanted fugitives list (www.eumostwanted.eu), following the Police Grand Ducale's support of an new initiative to put such criminals behind bars.
Murderers, kidnappers, terrorists, drugs traffickers, etc. - all of them are convicted or suspected of extremely serious crimes. They have killed or irreversibly changed their victims' lives. All of these criminals are on the run, fleeing from responsibility and punishment. This makes it difficult for their victims, their friends and relatives to find closure. The statement continues "Let's help them and make everyone's festive season safer by locking these criminals up before the holidays begin".
Since the launch of the list at the end of January 2016, no less than 24 of the criminals on Europe's Most Wanted have been arrested, including one from Luxembourg. Many more are hiding all over Europe and European law enforcement agencies are working closely together to catch them. 9 out of the current 24 arrests were directly linked to the media attention around Europe's Most Wanted fugitives and tip-offs from the public.
As of 1 December 2016, 23 countries, Europol and the European Network of Fugitive Active Search Teams (ENFAST) are combining efforts to apprehend even more most wanted criminals. 23 days in a row, they will publish one fugitive per day, every day wanted by a different EU Member State.
Luxembourg's Most Wanted
The fugitives from Luxembourg include Jean Marc Kiesch (born 6 Jan 1981 in Luxembourg), who was convicted of murder and theft and sentenced to 20 years in prison; he absconded while out on day release on 30 October 2004. Kevin Perstner (born 19 May 1990) from France is wanted in connection with a violent robbery, during which a couple in their 80s were seriously injured; two other accomplices are detained in Luxembourg
Mohammed Ezzi (born in Tunisia on 15 March 1988), wanted for attempted murder (the site states "murder", but it was actually attempted murder) and grievous bodily injury. He was convicted of assaulting his wife between 2009 and 2014, causing her to almost lose her sight in both eyes. He has been on the run since June 2016. His original sentence was for 10 years imprisonment, of which 5 years were suspended. He appealed the sentence, following which the judge increased his sentence to 7 years imprisonment plus 3 years suspended. Following the decision announced by the judge, he was supposed to have turned up at a police station with his lawyer but absconded instead. He is understood to be using false names.
Specific details on Luxembourg will be published in video format on 15 December. For details, see www.eumostwanted.eu
Photo (L-R): Jean Marc Kiesch; Kevin Perstner; Mohammed Ezzi
