Saskia Belleman is one of the Netherlands’ best-known court and crime journalists. As the regular court reporter for De Telegraaf, she has been covering some of the country’s most high-profile criminal cases for more than 15 years. With her clear, sharp, and accessible style, she makes complex legal issues understandable to a broad audience. As a speaker, she takes audiences inside the world of criminal justice, the rule of law, femicide, and the dilemmas of crime journalism.
Saskia Belleman has been covering some of the Netherlands’ most high-profile criminal cases for more than 15 years as the regular court reporter for De Telegraaf. From inside the courtroom, she translates complex legal issues into clear and accessible stories.
Outside the courtroom, Saskia is also a sought-after legal commentator. She regularly appears on programmes such as Op1, Jinek, Beau and RTL Tonight, where she explains current criminal cases and developments within the rule of law.
Her journalistic work has received multiple awards. In 2024, Saskia was named Journalist of the Year, and her podcast Zij is van mij won a Dutch Podcast Award in the Journalism category. She has also received the Machiavelli Prize, the Anker & Anker Prize, and was appointed Knight in the Order of Orange-Nassau.
How does the criminal justice system work, and what roles do the judge, the Public Prosecution Service and the defence lawyer play? Drawing on years of experience, Saskia offers an accessible look inside the courtroom and explains how a criminal case unfolds and how a verdict is reached.
Major criminal cases also reveal how the rule of law functions in practice. Saskia shows what high-profile cases can teach us about justice, security and trust in the legal system, connecting her experiences in the courtroom to broader social developments.
Through her book and podcast Zij is van mij, Saskia focuses on femicide and intimate partner violence. She examines why femicide is still underestimated in the Netherlands and what is needed to recognise warning signs earlier and respond more effectively.
In her talks, she shares insights from her journalistic research, particularly relevant to healthcare and security professionals, policymakers and municipalities.
How do you report responsibly on criminal cases involving victims, relatives and suspects? Saskia takes her audience behind the journalistic decisions surrounding transparency, responsibility and balancing different interests. She also shows how complex legal topics can be made understandable without oversimplifying them.
Saskia is the author of Zij is van mij – Hoe kan het dat vrouwenmoord zo wordt onderschat in Nederland? (2025), a book about why femicide is so often underestimated in the Netherlands. On the same subject, she created the eight-part podcast series Zij is van mij, which won a Dutch Podcast Award in 2024.
She also co-hosts the podcast De zaak ontleed with Wilson Boldewijn, in which they discuss high-profile criminal cases.
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