Over 35,500 people have signed a petition to prevent Volkert van der Graaf, the man who killed Dutch politician Pim Fortuyn, from being released from prison early.
Hans Smolders, Pim Fortuyn's driver, started the petition. Under Dutch law, prisoners who are well behaved are released once they have served two-thirds of their sentence. This would mean that Van der Graaf could be released in May 2014.
Van der Graaf shot and killed Fortuyn on 6 May 2002, in the Media Park in Hilversum. In 2003, he was convicted of the killing and sentenced to 18 years in jail.
It is unclear whether there are legitimate legal grounds to prevent his release. Nevertheless, Smolders will present the petition to Deputy Justice Minister Fred Teeven on Wednesday.
(dcf/ae)
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