Volkert van der Graaf
| Volkert van der Graaf | |
|---|---|
| Born |
9 July 1969 Middelburg, Netherlands |
| Occupation | Environmental activist |
| Criminal charge | Murder of Pim Fortuyn |
| Criminal penalty | 18 years imprisonment |
| Criminal status | Paroled |
Volkert van der Graaf (born 9 July 1969) is a Dutch convicted murderer who assassinated politician Pim Fortuyn, the leader of the Pim Fortuyn List (LPF), on 6 May 2002. This occurred during the political campaign for the Dutch general elections of 2002. An environmental and animal rights activist, he said at his trial that he murdered Fortuyn to stop him from exploiting Muslims as "scapegoats" and targeting "the weak members of society" in seeking political power.
Van der Graaf was arrested shortly after shooting Fortuyn, who died immediately. In court, van der Graaf testified that he had become alarmed that Fortuyn was using Muslims and immigrants as scapegoats in a campaign to seek political power. He thought the politician endangered society with his controversial statements. His trial started on 27 March 2003. He was convicted on 15 April 2003 and sentenced to 18 years in prison. The trial generated large interest from the Dutch public, especially Fortuyn supporters. Van der Graaf appealed for the reduction of the sentence to 16 years, but on 18 July 2003, the appeals court upheld the previous sentence. He was released on parole in May 2014 after serving two-thirds of his sentence.
Van der Graaf was born in Middelburg. By the time he attended university in Wageningen, he had become a vegan and an advocate of animal rights. At the time of the murder he lived with his girlfriend and their infant daughter in Harderwijk.
Van der Graaf worked for the environmental organisation Vereniging Milieu Offensief in Wageningen, which he had co-founded in 1992. His job involved challenging violators of environmental regulations through litigation. He concentrated particularly on contesting practices in intensive animal farming and fur farming. He was said to be highly motivated, working more than the four days per week of his contract. He was successful at litigation, winning about three out of every four cases.
On 6 May 2002 Pim Fortuyn was shot and killed outside a radio studio in Hilversum at 6:00 pm, just after he finished an interview. Interviewer Ruud de Wild witnessed the murder.
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