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FUGITIVE SUSPECT IN HRANT DINK MURDER CASE ARRESTED IN ISTANBUL ISTANBUL
Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
Oct 24 2013
Erhan Tuncel, the suspected instigator of the murder of
Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink, has been arrested by Istanbul's
14th High Criminal Court, a day after he was captured by the police
in the city's Kumburgaz district.
The court decided to arrest Tuncel on Oct. 24, a day after he was
captured in a villa where he was hiding out, having spent 38 days on
the run, Dogan news agency reported. He claimed that he was not on
the run but rather had been preparing his defense.
"I had reported these convicts [convicted of the murder] 18 times in
order to prevent their action. I met with the convicts many times to
convince them not to commit this action," said Tuncel in his defense.
Tuncel also demanded his release, however, the court decided on his
arrest on the grounds that he might leave the country.
Tuncel's lawyer Erdogan Soruklu told the Hurriyet Daily News Oct. 24
that they had expected the decision of arrest and said they would
object to the decision.
Tuncel was captured in a police operation on the same day as an
interview was published in daily Star, in which he said he would
surrender in 15 days.
"This is the price of having served my country," Tuncel told reporters
as he was taken into custody by police officers.
"It is an honor to be arrested on the day Adnan Menderes was hanged,"
he also said, in reference to the former Turkish prime minister who
was sentenced to death in the Yassıada trials that took place after
the 1960 military coup.
"I will surrender when I complete my defense," he said in the interview
at daily Star. "I will reveal the names I am in contact with. The
gendarmerie forces have a big role in the Dink murder ... I am not
running away, I am preparing a detailed defense with my application
to the European Court of Human Rights and planning to complete it
within 15 days, I will surrender right after completing this."
Tuncel also said there was another organization within the state
"higher than Ergenekon [an allegedly shadowy organization accused of
planning to overthrow the Turkish government], that is being prevented
from shedding light on this murder. I am a little piece of all these."
He particularly pointed to the Black Sea province of Trabzon's police
department and gendarmerie.
The trial concerning the murder of Armenian-Turkish journalist Hrant
Dink had restarted in Istanbul on Sept. 17 this year following an
overturning from the Supreme Court of Appeals after six years of
legal procedures. The court had issued an arrest warrant for Tuncel.
Tuncel was an informant in the Black Sea province of Trabzon ahead of
the murder of Dink, the editor-in-chief of Armenian-Turkish newspaper
Agos who was shot dead in broad daylight in Istanbul on Jan. 19, 2007.
Earlier in the case on Jan. 17, 2012, the Istanbul 14th High Criminal
Court had ruled to exonerate the 19 suspects from "being members of
a terrorist organization."
Arrested suspect Yasin Hayal had received aggravated life imprisonment
for instigating the murder and police informant and suspect in
the murder Erhan Tuncel was sentenced to one year and three months
in prison.
Ogun Samast, who pulled the trigger, was a minor at the time and was
sentenced to nearly 23 years in prison. Due to the fact that Tuncel had
already served time in connection to a 10 year and six month sentence
issued for an explosion at a McDonald's restaurant, he was released.
Tuncel is seen as a key in linking the murder to the state institutions
as members of the police department in Trabzon, the hometown of the
suspects, have been accused of failing to relay intelligence provided
by Tuncel to the Trabzon Gendarmerie Command in a report prepared by
Turkey's State Supervisory Council (DDK).
The triggerman, Ogun Samast, 17-years-old at the time of the murder,
and Yasin Hayal, who was charged of being the instigator of the
assassination, were convicted of the murder. However, a high criminal
court dismissed charges related to an "armed terrorist organization"
being involved. The Supreme Court of Appeals verdict defined the acts
of all suspects in the case under "an organization formed to commit
crime" according to Turkish Penal Code Article 220.
October/24/2013
Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
Oct 24 2013
Erhan Tuncel, the suspected instigator of the murder of
Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink, has been arrested by Istanbul's
14th High Criminal Court, a day after he was captured by the police
in the city's Kumburgaz district.
The court decided to arrest Tuncel on Oct. 24, a day after he was
captured in a villa where he was hiding out, having spent 38 days on
the run, Dogan news agency reported. He claimed that he was not on
the run but rather had been preparing his defense.
"I had reported these convicts [convicted of the murder] 18 times in
order to prevent their action. I met with the convicts many times to
convince them not to commit this action," said Tuncel in his defense.
Tuncel also demanded his release, however, the court decided on his
arrest on the grounds that he might leave the country.
Tuncel's lawyer Erdogan Soruklu told the Hurriyet Daily News Oct. 24
that they had expected the decision of arrest and said they would
object to the decision.
Tuncel was captured in a police operation on the same day as an
interview was published in daily Star, in which he said he would
surrender in 15 days.
"This is the price of having served my country," Tuncel told reporters
as he was taken into custody by police officers.
"It is an honor to be arrested on the day Adnan Menderes was hanged,"
he also said, in reference to the former Turkish prime minister who
was sentenced to death in the Yassıada trials that took place after
the 1960 military coup.
"I will surrender when I complete my defense," he said in the interview
at daily Star. "I will reveal the names I am in contact with. The
gendarmerie forces have a big role in the Dink murder ... I am not
running away, I am preparing a detailed defense with my application
to the European Court of Human Rights and planning to complete it
within 15 days, I will surrender right after completing this."
Tuncel also said there was another organization within the state
"higher than Ergenekon [an allegedly shadowy organization accused of
planning to overthrow the Turkish government], that is being prevented
from shedding light on this murder. I am a little piece of all these."
He particularly pointed to the Black Sea province of Trabzon's police
department and gendarmerie.
The trial concerning the murder of Armenian-Turkish journalist Hrant
Dink had restarted in Istanbul on Sept. 17 this year following an
overturning from the Supreme Court of Appeals after six years of
legal procedures. The court had issued an arrest warrant for Tuncel.
Tuncel was an informant in the Black Sea province of Trabzon ahead of
the murder of Dink, the editor-in-chief of Armenian-Turkish newspaper
Agos who was shot dead in broad daylight in Istanbul on Jan. 19, 2007.
Earlier in the case on Jan. 17, 2012, the Istanbul 14th High Criminal
Court had ruled to exonerate the 19 suspects from "being members of
a terrorist organization."
Arrested suspect Yasin Hayal had received aggravated life imprisonment
for instigating the murder and police informant and suspect in
the murder Erhan Tuncel was sentenced to one year and three months
in prison.
Ogun Samast, who pulled the trigger, was a minor at the time and was
sentenced to nearly 23 years in prison. Due to the fact that Tuncel had
already served time in connection to a 10 year and six month sentence
issued for an explosion at a McDonald's restaurant, he was released.
Tuncel is seen as a key in linking the murder to the state institutions
as members of the police department in Trabzon, the hometown of the
suspects, have been accused of failing to relay intelligence provided
by Tuncel to the Trabzon Gendarmerie Command in a report prepared by
Turkey's State Supervisory Council (DDK).
The triggerman, Ogun Samast, 17-years-old at the time of the murder,
and Yasin Hayal, who was charged of being the instigator of the
assassination, were convicted of the murder. However, a high criminal
court dismissed charges related to an "armed terrorist organization"
being involved. The Supreme Court of Appeals verdict defined the acts
of all suspects in the case under "an organization formed to commit
crime" according to Turkish Penal Code Article 220.
October/24/2013