LIMA, (Reuters) - Dutch citizen Joran Van der Sloot is appealing his 28-year jail sentence for killing a young business student in Peru two years ago, his lawyer said late on Monday.

Van der Sloot, who was arrested but never charged over the disappearance of Alabama woman Natalee Holloway in 2005,

apologized for murdering student Stephany Flores and accepted all charges against him earlier this month.

Van der Sloot, 24, could spend less than a decade behind bars because Peru often frees prisoners for good behavior after serving a third of their terms, but his lawyer said the sentence should still be cut.

“We question the 28 years of deprivation of liberty and are seeking a reduction,” Van der Sloot’s lawyer Jose Jimenez told