Murderer of Dutch anti-immigration politician receives probation

The person who assassinated anti-immigration politician Pim Fortuyn in 2002 will be out on probation before Feb. 1 2014, the Dutch Council for the Administration of Criminal Justice and Protection of Juveniles ruled Tuesday. In October, State Secretary for Security and Justice Fred Teeven refused his probation proposal, but Van der Graaf appealed against this decision. The Dutch populist politician Pim Fortuyn founded his own party and became popular in the Netherlands with his anti-immigration discourse. In 2002, Fortuyn was murdered in Hilversum by animal rights activist Volkert van de Graaf, nine days before the general election, leaving the nation in shock. Volkert van der Graaf was sentenced to 18 years for shooting Pim Fortuyn dead. Under Dutch rules, prisoners are generally granted parole after serving two-thirds of their sentences. In preparation for this, prisoners may go on probation. Van der Graaf will probably be released in May 2014.