New photos of Pim Fortuyn killer surface
The front page of today's copy of De Telegraaf newspaper is one big photograph of Pim Fortuyn's killer, Volkert van der Graaf, who recently came out of prison. The paper published the photograph of Van der Graaf on his way to meet his lawyer in Amsterdam. It is the first image that has been published of him since he shot Pim Fortuyn in May 2002. De Telegraaf says that it is reserving its right to print information necessary to the public's 'right to know'. Weighing up Van der Graaf's basic right to privacy and the public's still heightened interest in his case, De Telegraaf has chosen to publish the image, and more yet to come, as it was made in public, and Van der Graaf has not complained about it.
The newspaper in question is arguably the biggest in The Netherlands. It argues that its freedom of speech is greater in power than Volkert van der Graaf's right to privacy. It also says that Van der Graaf has served his time, and should now get used to being a part of society again. Earlier this month, the mayor of Apeldoorn also made the decision to put the public's right to know first in the case of Van der Graaf, revealing that the political assassin had been living in the city for over a month. In the story that De Telegraaf printed with the picture, the paper claims that Van der Graaf did not want to answer questions, pointing to the conditions of his release, which state that he is not to have any contact with the press. The conditions of his release, on May the 2nd, also include an area ban of Hilversum, Rotterdam, The Hague and the areas where Pim Fortuyn's surviving relatives live.
