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Fortuyn accused ends hunger strike
AMSTERDAM, Netherlands -- The animal rights activist charged with killing Dutch populist politician Pim Fortuyn has ended a hunger strike after 69 days. Volkert van der Graaf had refused solid food since July 12 to protest against his detention conditions, including camera surveillance in his Amsterdam cell. His lawyers, Britta Boehler and Stijn Franken, said in a statement on Thursday: "Volkert van der (Graaf) has decided to halt his hunger strike as of today. "The reason for this is that he has concrete signs that his detention conditions will improve." Van der Graaf, 32, was arrested minutes after Fortuyn was shot dead on May 6. Prosecutors say Van der Graaf, who was arrested carrying a loaded gun speckled with Fortuyn's blood, has refused to cooperate with the investigation. The case against him was presented in court in August and the next hearing is due on November 9. Fortuyn, 54, was shot dead just days before general elections in the Netherlands. Though a controversial figure, his death provoked national grief and soul-searching. If convicted of murder and illegal possession of firearms, Van der Graaf could face up to 20 years in prison.
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