Netherlands king pardons Turkish convict who killed six people in '83

King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands created controversy by pardoning Cevdet Yılmaz, a Turkish man who killed six people including one child in a cafe shooting in 1983. The Netherlands Justice Ministry had repeatedly turned down Yılmaz's requests to be released early.

Cevdet Yılmaz (R) shot and killed six people in a cafe (L) in the Netherlands in 1983.

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King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands prompted outrage by pardoning Turkish murderer Cevdet Yılmaz who shot six people including one child in a cafe in 1983, BBC Turkish reported on Jan. 22. 

Yılmaz was sentenced to life in prison in 1984, after shooting and killing six people in Delft because someone told him he wasn't "really Dutch, just a citizen of the Netherlands," prompting the largest massacre in the country's history up until that point.

Yılmaz had petitioned the Netherlands for a judicial pardon multiple times on the grounds that he had received sufficient punishment after 38 years behind bars.

The Netherlands' Justice Ministry turned down the convict's requests repeatedly on the grounds that his release would open up deep wounds in society given the brutality of his crime.

King Willem-Alexander granted Yılmaz's wish despite protests from the government, as well as the families of the six victims.

Yılmaz, who got married and had children while in prison, said that he was planning on returning to Turkey as soon as his pardon went into effect.