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Today's Zaman, Turkey
Dec 8 2007
Government called upon to shed light on Malatya murders
The investigation and trial of the suspects in the brutal murders of
three Bible publishers in the southeastern city of Malatya last April
have been marred by serious allegations of cover ups and obstruction
of justice, but the government could intervene, according to a number
of prominent columnists, political leaders and lawyers.
The government has so far remained inactive in the face of what seems
to be a process of grave obstruction of justice but could act and
change the course of events, columnists, political leaders and
lawyers said in their appeals to the Justice and Development Party
(AK Party) on Friday.
A number of incidents have suggested that there have been attempts to
cover up facts and destroy evidence regarding the murder of three men
at the Zirve Publishing House in Malatya. On Thursday, Turkish
newspapers published scanned copies of documents proving the
statements of a police chief to be a lie. The Malatya police chief in
a statement to journalists earlier this week said some video
recordings of one of the suspects in his hospital bed, which form
crucial evidence for the trial, had been delivered to the
prosecution. However, the scanned documents, signed by a senior
officer with the Malatya police and addressed to the chief public
prosecutor, showed that the camera records had been "destroyed."
Although the prosecutor's office on Friday ended the debate saying
all of the camera records were in its possession, too many other
shady details have indicated that the suspects appear to be protected
by an invisible shield.
"Obstruction of justice or at least suspicious incidents come one
after another in a case being followed by everyone very carefully.
However, neither statements nor denials relating to these allegations
are convincing," wrote Star daily's Mustafa Karaalioðlu yesterday.
"Everybody has some sort of responsibility in the correction of this
shameful situation, but the biggest responsibility lies with Interior
Minister Beþir Atalay," he added, calling on the minister to take a
brave step and get to the root of the Malatya murders, although that
root might well be made up of parts of the state or the security
forces.
The recent confusion about the video recordings comes after the
revelation of phone transcripts proving the existence of disturbing
links between the murder suspects and some state agencies, including
the military. However, the investigation scandal in the Malatya case
has been sadly reminiscent of the legal process over the murder of
Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink, whose lawyers failed to bring
before the court vital evidence showing that the Trabzon police did
not do anything to protect Dink, although they had been tipped off
about the murder more than once.
In other words, destroying or obscuring evidence, protecting police
officers who have committed crimes or simply ignoring important
evidence is nothing new. Head of the Human Rights Association (ÝHD),
Hüsnü Öndül, who spoke to Today's Zaman, made the same point. `The
Malatya case shows the usual practice of the protective shield of the
state with its security forces and judiciary. The security forces and
the judiciary here are protecting each other by not conducting a
detailed investigation. Those who are protected are the hit men who
say they committed the murders with `nationalist feelings', secret or
non-secret services they had contacts with, meaning police and
military intelligence units. The common point among all these similar
incidents is this protection.'
Öndül said, in addition to the Dink murder, the same pattern was
evident in the murder case of Trabzon's Father Andrea Santoro, killed
last year by an ultra-nationalist teenager and the attempt to
assassinate Akýn Birdal, a former head of the ÝHD.
Öndül said the murderers in all these cases said they committed the
acts out of nationalist and patriotic feelings, but the
investigations were never successful because the state prosecutors
and judges have the same mentality. `The judiciary's approach is a
one that is state-oriented rather than protecting the rights of the
people. Minorities' differences are perceived as a threat to state
security. According to Öndül, the only way to break through this
shield is a `strong and determined political will.'
`Only the government can do this. However they currently take no
initiative regarding these cases, which is tantamount to protecting
the perpetrators.'
Orhan Kemal Cengiz, a lawyer representing the Malatya victims,
asserts that since the government failed to bravely trace the
disturbing connections revealed between a bookstore bombing and
security forces in 2005, it cannot bring the facts out in similar
cases that have occurred since then.
Cengiz also expressed his belief that if the government does show
courage now and shed light on Malatya, worse incidents may happen. He
notes that the murder of Father Santoro, Dink and the Malatya
Christians are all hate crimes and that they should be taken very
seriously. `Or worse things can happen. Look at the beating of that
Greek journalist [Andreas Rombopulos] in Ýstanbul yesterday,
[Wednesday]. He was lucky to have not been killed.' Cengiz warned
that the xenophobic and chauvinistic anger building in society could
be turned toward the entire Greek or Armenian community sooner than
we might even anticipate.
So do those in Parliament here these cries? Main opposition
Republican People's Party (CHP) Malatya deputy Mevlüt Aslanoðlu said:
`This is an incident that will grow many branches. This has to be
investigated thoroughly. We suspect that there is a structure here
like that of Susurluk,' Aslanoðlu noted, recalling yet another
incident revealing links between crime and the state. In the
incident, a police chief and an internationally sought mafia leader
were killed together in a car accident in the northwestern township
of Susurluk in 1996. `We will be following up on the case because
this has turned into an issue of honor for Turkey. The government,
too, should be fearless and face this with determination. This will
be a huge test in the EU accession process for the government.'
`There are certain shady points,' admitted Mehmet Ocaktan, a deputy
of the AK Party. `I will bring this issue up at a meeting of our
human rights committee on Dec. 12 and propose setting up a
subcommittee on it. This should be investigated thoroughly and the
shady areas should be illuminated.'
Today's Zaman Ankara Bureau contributed to this article.
------------------------------------------------ ----------------
Theologian accused of involvement in Malatya murder
Suspects in the investigation of the brutal killing of three
Christians at Zirve Publishing House in Malatya in April of last year
have links to numerous individuals in the state, including security
officers, the police and even prosecutors, but the most surprising
link they have is to an academic. Ruhi Abat, a research assistant at
Malatya University's Department of Theology, was accused in a letter
-- signed by a man named Ali A. -- of having incited Emre Günaydýn,
one of the three suspects captured at the site of the murder. The
picture above shows Abat in a conference on `Islam, [Christian]
Missionaries and Destructive Activity.' Abat refused to comment on
the accusations directed at him. Photographs and information related
to him have been removed from the Web site of Malatya University's
Department of Theology. Abat's research focused on missionary
activity. He is also the author of an article titled, `The Breaking
Points in the Discourse of Dialogue between Religions,' and `The
Claims Missionaries Spread about Belief in God,' both available on
the Internet. Erkan Acar Ýstanbul
08.12.2007
BARIÞ ALTINTAÞ ÝSTANBUL
Dec 8 2007
Government called upon to shed light on Malatya murders
The investigation and trial of the suspects in the brutal murders of
three Bible publishers in the southeastern city of Malatya last April
have been marred by serious allegations of cover ups and obstruction
of justice, but the government could intervene, according to a number
of prominent columnists, political leaders and lawyers.
The government has so far remained inactive in the face of what seems
to be a process of grave obstruction of justice but could act and
change the course of events, columnists, political leaders and
lawyers said in their appeals to the Justice and Development Party
(AK Party) on Friday.
A number of incidents have suggested that there have been attempts to
cover up facts and destroy evidence regarding the murder of three men
at the Zirve Publishing House in Malatya. On Thursday, Turkish
newspapers published scanned copies of documents proving the
statements of a police chief to be a lie. The Malatya police chief in
a statement to journalists earlier this week said some video
recordings of one of the suspects in his hospital bed, which form
crucial evidence for the trial, had been delivered to the
prosecution. However, the scanned documents, signed by a senior
officer with the Malatya police and addressed to the chief public
prosecutor, showed that the camera records had been "destroyed."
Although the prosecutor's office on Friday ended the debate saying
all of the camera records were in its possession, too many other
shady details have indicated that the suspects appear to be protected
by an invisible shield.
"Obstruction of justice or at least suspicious incidents come one
after another in a case being followed by everyone very carefully.
However, neither statements nor denials relating to these allegations
are convincing," wrote Star daily's Mustafa Karaalioðlu yesterday.
"Everybody has some sort of responsibility in the correction of this
shameful situation, but the biggest responsibility lies with Interior
Minister Beþir Atalay," he added, calling on the minister to take a
brave step and get to the root of the Malatya murders, although that
root might well be made up of parts of the state or the security
forces.
The recent confusion about the video recordings comes after the
revelation of phone transcripts proving the existence of disturbing
links between the murder suspects and some state agencies, including
the military. However, the investigation scandal in the Malatya case
has been sadly reminiscent of the legal process over the murder of
Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink, whose lawyers failed to bring
before the court vital evidence showing that the Trabzon police did
not do anything to protect Dink, although they had been tipped off
about the murder more than once.
In other words, destroying or obscuring evidence, protecting police
officers who have committed crimes or simply ignoring important
evidence is nothing new. Head of the Human Rights Association (ÝHD),
Hüsnü Öndül, who spoke to Today's Zaman, made the same point. `The
Malatya case shows the usual practice of the protective shield of the
state with its security forces and judiciary. The security forces and
the judiciary here are protecting each other by not conducting a
detailed investigation. Those who are protected are the hit men who
say they committed the murders with `nationalist feelings', secret or
non-secret services they had contacts with, meaning police and
military intelligence units. The common point among all these similar
incidents is this protection.'
Öndül said, in addition to the Dink murder, the same pattern was
evident in the murder case of Trabzon's Father Andrea Santoro, killed
last year by an ultra-nationalist teenager and the attempt to
assassinate Akýn Birdal, a former head of the ÝHD.
Öndül said the murderers in all these cases said they committed the
acts out of nationalist and patriotic feelings, but the
investigations were never successful because the state prosecutors
and judges have the same mentality. `The judiciary's approach is a
one that is state-oriented rather than protecting the rights of the
people. Minorities' differences are perceived as a threat to state
security. According to Öndül, the only way to break through this
shield is a `strong and determined political will.'
`Only the government can do this. However they currently take no
initiative regarding these cases, which is tantamount to protecting
the perpetrators.'
Orhan Kemal Cengiz, a lawyer representing the Malatya victims,
asserts that since the government failed to bravely trace the
disturbing connections revealed between a bookstore bombing and
security forces in 2005, it cannot bring the facts out in similar
cases that have occurred since then.
Cengiz also expressed his belief that if the government does show
courage now and shed light on Malatya, worse incidents may happen. He
notes that the murder of Father Santoro, Dink and the Malatya
Christians are all hate crimes and that they should be taken very
seriously. `Or worse things can happen. Look at the beating of that
Greek journalist [Andreas Rombopulos] in Ýstanbul yesterday,
[Wednesday]. He was lucky to have not been killed.' Cengiz warned
that the xenophobic and chauvinistic anger building in society could
be turned toward the entire Greek or Armenian community sooner than
we might even anticipate.
So do those in Parliament here these cries? Main opposition
Republican People's Party (CHP) Malatya deputy Mevlüt Aslanoðlu said:
`This is an incident that will grow many branches. This has to be
investigated thoroughly. We suspect that there is a structure here
like that of Susurluk,' Aslanoðlu noted, recalling yet another
incident revealing links between crime and the state. In the
incident, a police chief and an internationally sought mafia leader
were killed together in a car accident in the northwestern township
of Susurluk in 1996. `We will be following up on the case because
this has turned into an issue of honor for Turkey. The government,
too, should be fearless and face this with determination. This will
be a huge test in the EU accession process for the government.'
`There are certain shady points,' admitted Mehmet Ocaktan, a deputy
of the AK Party. `I will bring this issue up at a meeting of our
human rights committee on Dec. 12 and propose setting up a
subcommittee on it. This should be investigated thoroughly and the
shady areas should be illuminated.'
Today's Zaman Ankara Bureau contributed to this article.
------------------------------------------------ ----------------
Theologian accused of involvement in Malatya murder
Suspects in the investigation of the brutal killing of three
Christians at Zirve Publishing House in Malatya in April of last year
have links to numerous individuals in the state, including security
officers, the police and even prosecutors, but the most surprising
link they have is to an academic. Ruhi Abat, a research assistant at
Malatya University's Department of Theology, was accused in a letter
-- signed by a man named Ali A. -- of having incited Emre Günaydýn,
one of the three suspects captured at the site of the murder. The
picture above shows Abat in a conference on `Islam, [Christian]
Missionaries and Destructive Activity.' Abat refused to comment on
the accusations directed at him. Photographs and information related
to him have been removed from the Web site of Malatya University's
Department of Theology. Abat's research focused on missionary
activity. He is also the author of an article titled, `The Breaking
Points in the Discourse of Dialogue between Religions,' and `The
Claims Missionaries Spread about Belief in God,' both available on
the Internet. Erkan Acar Ýstanbul
08.12.2007
BARIÞ ALTINTAÞ ÝSTANBUL