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ANKARA: Thousands Urge Justice On Third Anniversary Of Hrant Dink's

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  • ANKARA: Thousands Urge Justice On Third Anniversary Of Hrant Dink's

    THOUSANDS URGE JUSTICE ON THIRD ANNIVERSARY OF HRANT DINK'S MURDER

    Today's Zaman
    http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/news-19908 8-101-thousands-urge-justice-on-third-anniversary- of-hrant-dinks-murder.html
    Jan 20 2010
    Turkey

    Protestors demanded justice on the third anniversary of the murder
    of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink yesterday.

    On the third anniversary of the assassination of Turkish-Armenian
    journalist Hrant Dink, who was fatally shot outside his office by an
    ultranationalist teenager, his family, friends and rights organizations
    once again voiced anger that light has still not been shed on the
    journalist's murder.

    A series of ceremonies were held across Turkey to mark the third
    anniversary of the death of Dink, who was gunned down on Jan. 19,
    2007 in broad daylight in front of the headquarters of the bilingual
    Armenian weekly Agos, where he was editor-in-chief. "You know, an
    operation plan called the Cage plan was revealed. But has everyone
    heard about it? Did all the papers write about it?" asked Arat Dink,
    the son of Hrant Dink, as he was addressing hundreds of supporters
    who gathered in front of Agos.

    A document called the Cage Operation Action Plan, which was exposed
    last November during a police raid on the office of retired Maj.

    Levent BektaÅ~_ as part of a probe launched after the discovery of a
    large arms cache in İstanbul's Poyrazköy district in April, refers
    to the killing of Dink as an "operation."

    Lt. Col. Ercan Kirectepe, whose signature appears on the document
    and Maj. BektaÅ~_, a suspect in the investigation into Ergenekon --
    a clandestine group charged with plotting to overthrow the government
    -- will reportedly testify to the public prosecutor conducting the
    probe into Dink's murder as soon as the indictment on the Cage plan
    is completed.

    Lawyers representing the co-plaintiffs in the Dink trial have long
    alleged that the murder was the doing of Ergenekon. In the latest
    hearing they also petitioned the 14th High Criminal Court to contact
    the prosecutors investigating Ergenekon to request a copy of documents
    that describe the organization's plots against religious minorities
    in Turkey.

    At the last hearing of the Dink trial, in October of last year,
    co-plaintiff lawyer Fethiye Cetin stated that Dink's murder, along
    with that of an Italian priest in 2006 and the 2007 slaying of
    three Christians in Malatya, was part of an operation carried out
    by Ergenekon.

    Masterminds of the murder still a mystery The murder of Dink triggered
    widespread anger and shock in Turkey and caused massive crowds to
    take to the streets, chanting, "We are all Armenians, we are all
    Hrant Dink."

    Hundreds of people gathered in front of Agos yesterday to commemorate
    Dink and demanded that the circumstances behind his murder be
    resolved. Carrying banners that denounced the vicious attack against
    Dink in a number of languages including Turkish, English, Armenian
    and Kurdish, protestors shouted, "For Hrant, for justice" and "We are
    all Hrant, we are all Armenians." Protestors also placed carnations
    in front of the building in memory of the slain journalist. Dink's
    friends, his family and rights groups once again expressed frustration
    that although the suspected perpetrator and his immediate accomplices
    have been arrested and put on trial, those who masterminded the plot
    to kill him have yet to be identified. Although police arrested
    the suspected gunman, Ogun Samast, and an associate, Yasin Hayal,
    a few days after Dink's murder, those higher-up who may have planned
    the murder are still a matter of concern for many. A group calling
    themselves "Friends of Hrant" protested in a public statement the fact
    that although three years have passed, the real instigators of the
    murder are still free. "Who is the murderer of Hrant? Let's answer. A
    collective official will killed Hrant. ... Remember the Cage operation
    plan seized in the back corridors of the deep state. Remember that
    Hrant's killing was mentioned as an 'operation' there. ... We know
    that our future is under threat unless 'the state's hand' in Dink's
    murder is put on trial and police chiefs, gendarmerie commanders and
    members of the judiciary who aided and abetted the murderers, tampered
    with evidence and treated murderers as heroes are called to account,"
    read the group statement.

    State Minister and Turkey's chief EU negotiator Egemen BagıÅ~_ issued
    a message yesterday saying the government's efforts will make a Turkey
    a country that is no longer a place of unsolved murders. Praising
    Dink's struggle for democracy, peace and Turkey's adherence to EU
    standards, BagıÅ~_ said: "Hrant Dink never made politics over his
    [ethnic] identity. He believed in the idea that all citizens should
    live together in peace in his country and worked for this idea. As
    the government, all our efforts are going towards unearthing secret
    scenarios penned in dark rooms and saving Turkey from being a country
    of unsolved murders. This is our basic aim in our fight against
    illegal formations. "

    Meanwhile, a panel discussion titled "Hrant Dink and Being a Democrat
    in Turkey" was held at Ä°stanbul Bilgi University yesterday to
    commemorate Dink. Professors Fuat Keyman and Ahmet Ä°nsel, journalist
    Ali Bayramoglu and Agos daily columnist Rober KoptaÅ~_ participated
    in the event. Ä°nsel said being a democrat in Turkey is not easy and
    that Dink paid a heavy price for it. Yeni Å~^afak daily columnist
    Bayramoglu also said Turkey has a lot to learn from Dink.

    Box: Dink murder suspect applies to be jail guard

    Erhan Tuncel, a key suspect in the killing of Turkish-Armenian
    journalist Hrant Dink, has taken a Justice Ministry examination to
    become a prison guard.

    The Anatolia news agency reported that Tuncel, who is currently being
    held in a Tekirdag prison, took the exam at the Tekirdag Courthouse
    with a police escort. Tuncel's height and weight were measured to
    determine whether he is eligible for the position. Since Tuncel is
    being held as a suspect and has not yet been convicted, he would be
    allowed to become a prison guard if hired. If the commission decides
    he is eligible, he will be called for an interview on Feb. 2. Ä°stanbul
    Today's Zaman

    From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
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