Campus Fryslân in FryslânDOK about historic justice at the Blokhuispoort

The Blokhuispoort is now Leeuwarden’s premier cultural hotspot. But behind the walls of the former fortress and prison lies an impressive history full of mysterious tales. The three-part FryslânDOK series Straffe Saken unravels them.

The 'Kop van Jut 'Case, the Aage M. Case, and the Doctor O. Case went down in history as notorious criminal cases. All of these convicts have one thing in common: they served their sentences at the Blokhuispoort. And they are not the only ones. Behind the doors of this historic complex, prisoners were locked up and shocking punishments carried out for centuries. Occasionally, the Blokhuispoort served as the setting for a spectacular escape.

Documentary filmmakers Wilfried Bijma and Jelmar Hoekstra realized that these intriguing stories had been forgotten over time. They thought that was a shame. For 500 years, the Blokhuispoort played a key role in the development of Frisian and Dutch jurisprudence, the effects of which are still visible today. For example, the Frisian “Dalstra's” were the first criminals in the Netherlands to be sentenced to life imprisonment after the abolition of the death penalty in 1870.

In the documentary series Straffe Saken, narrator Lourens van den Akker takes viewers on a journey into the dark past. Through reenactments, the most high-profile cases are brought back to life. Law students from Campus Fryslân reflect on these historic court cases. In this way, the series shows how the administration of justice and punishment have changed over the centuries.

Straffe Saken airs starting June 6 on NPO 2 and Omrop Fryslân. Saturdays at 3:30 p.m. on NPO 2, Sundays at 1:15 p.m. on NPO 2, and starting at 5:00 p.m. on Omrop Fryslân.