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Cihan News Agency (CNA) - Turkey
January 20, 2013 Sunday
Minister hints at new probe as thousands march for justice in Dink case
ISTANBUL (CIHAN)- Tens of thousands of people marched for justice in
the case against the shooting of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrank
Dink on Saturday and Justice Minister Sadullah Ergin said Dink's
murder may be re-investigated under the fourth judicial reform
package.
The late editor-in-chief of the Turkish-Armenian weekly Agos, Dink,
was shot dead by ultra-nationalist teenager Ogün Samast. The murder
initially appeared to be a murder staged due to the young hitman's
ultra-nationalist sentiments. However, during the course of the
five-year trial, both co-plaintiff lawyers and the prosecutor were
able to gather evidence indicating the role of a larger group.
On the sixth anniversary of the murder, thousands of people marched
>From Istanbul's Taksim Square to the site of Dink's murder, the Agos
headquarters in Sisli, as they do every year on Jan. 19 to support the
Dink family and demand justice.
Speaking from the window of Agos, Dink's widow, Rakel, said it has
been six years without Hrant. "But we are again here at the spot where
he was shot. I will share my pain with you. Nobody is doing good for
us, everyone is committing crimes and they are continuing to do so,"
Rakel Dink said in sorrow.
Writer Hidayet Seftali Tüksal also spoke during the commemoration
ceremony, saying Dink's friends have been waiting for justice to be
served for six years.
Saturday's commemoration ceremonies were marred by clashes between a
group of demonstrators and police in Istanbul as the commemoration
ceremony ended. Police reportedly used pepper gas during the clashes.
While Samast was sentenced to 22 years, 10 months in prison by a
juvenile court, Yasin Hayal was given life in prison for inciting the
murder. In a separate trial, two gendarmerie officers were convicted
merely on charges of "dereliction of duty" in the run-up to the Dink
murder. During the five-year trial process, both lawyers for the Dink
family and prosecution presented evidence indicating that Samast was
not acting alone.
On Jan. 10, the Supreme Court of Appeals' Chief Public Prosecutor's
Office asked the high court to overturn a highly controversial ruling
>From last year that ruled out the involvement of an organized criminal
network in the killing of Dink. The top prosecutor said that Dink was
obviously killed specifically because he is from a different ethnic
group, and his murder was part of the planned and systematic activity
of a criminal network aiming to damage the state's unity.
Also on Saturday, Justice Minister Ergin held a meeting with the We
Demand Justice Union to discuss the Dink murder trial. Activist Ömer
Faruk Gergerlioglu told the press after the meeting that the minister
gave the green signal that the murder may be re-investigated after the
fourth judicial reform package is endorsed.
"Minister Ergin said information and documents in the murder case of
Dink suggest that there is a collective structure behind the murder,"
Gergerlioglu noted, adding: "The state would save itself by just
paying compensation in such criminal cases in the past, but this will
no longer be the case with the fourth judicial reform package. The
package will impact all the ongoing cases. The cases will be
re-opened. The minister's remarks hinted that the murder of Dink will
be re-investigated even if the Supreme Court of Appeals upholds the
court ruling in the murder case. It is evident that the murder will be
probed once again."
Gergerlioglu also said the justice minister has concerns about the
Dink case as the murder happened six years ago, and some of crucial
evidence related to the incident may have been destroyed. "The
minister also said he expects the truth in the case to be exposed as
soon as possible," he added.
The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) ruled in September 2010
that Turkey had failed to investigate and prosecute those who were
responsible for Dink's murder and this constitutes a violation of
Dink's right to life. Friends of Hrant are saying, "We are Here
Ahparig! ("ahparig" means "my brother" in Armenian) this year. Last
week saw a week-long memorial of events ranging from film screenings
to exhibitions, from a symposium to story-reading and musical
performances that started at Cezayir Meeting Hall on Jan. 12-13 with a
symposium entitled "Hrant Dink Operation: Six Years."
January 20, 2013 Sunday
Minister hints at new probe as thousands march for justice in Dink case
ISTANBUL (CIHAN)- Tens of thousands of people marched for justice in
the case against the shooting of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrank
Dink on Saturday and Justice Minister Sadullah Ergin said Dink's
murder may be re-investigated under the fourth judicial reform
package.
The late editor-in-chief of the Turkish-Armenian weekly Agos, Dink,
was shot dead by ultra-nationalist teenager Ogün Samast. The murder
initially appeared to be a murder staged due to the young hitman's
ultra-nationalist sentiments. However, during the course of the
five-year trial, both co-plaintiff lawyers and the prosecutor were
able to gather evidence indicating the role of a larger group.
On the sixth anniversary of the murder, thousands of people marched
>From Istanbul's Taksim Square to the site of Dink's murder, the Agos
headquarters in Sisli, as they do every year on Jan. 19 to support the
Dink family and demand justice.
Speaking from the window of Agos, Dink's widow, Rakel, said it has
been six years without Hrant. "But we are again here at the spot where
he was shot. I will share my pain with you. Nobody is doing good for
us, everyone is committing crimes and they are continuing to do so,"
Rakel Dink said in sorrow.
Writer Hidayet Seftali Tüksal also spoke during the commemoration
ceremony, saying Dink's friends have been waiting for justice to be
served for six years.
Saturday's commemoration ceremonies were marred by clashes between a
group of demonstrators and police in Istanbul as the commemoration
ceremony ended. Police reportedly used pepper gas during the clashes.
While Samast was sentenced to 22 years, 10 months in prison by a
juvenile court, Yasin Hayal was given life in prison for inciting the
murder. In a separate trial, two gendarmerie officers were convicted
merely on charges of "dereliction of duty" in the run-up to the Dink
murder. During the five-year trial process, both lawyers for the Dink
family and prosecution presented evidence indicating that Samast was
not acting alone.
On Jan. 10, the Supreme Court of Appeals' Chief Public Prosecutor's
Office asked the high court to overturn a highly controversial ruling
>From last year that ruled out the involvement of an organized criminal
network in the killing of Dink. The top prosecutor said that Dink was
obviously killed specifically because he is from a different ethnic
group, and his murder was part of the planned and systematic activity
of a criminal network aiming to damage the state's unity.
Also on Saturday, Justice Minister Ergin held a meeting with the We
Demand Justice Union to discuss the Dink murder trial. Activist Ömer
Faruk Gergerlioglu told the press after the meeting that the minister
gave the green signal that the murder may be re-investigated after the
fourth judicial reform package is endorsed.
"Minister Ergin said information and documents in the murder case of
Dink suggest that there is a collective structure behind the murder,"
Gergerlioglu noted, adding: "The state would save itself by just
paying compensation in such criminal cases in the past, but this will
no longer be the case with the fourth judicial reform package. The
package will impact all the ongoing cases. The cases will be
re-opened. The minister's remarks hinted that the murder of Dink will
be re-investigated even if the Supreme Court of Appeals upholds the
court ruling in the murder case. It is evident that the murder will be
probed once again."
Gergerlioglu also said the justice minister has concerns about the
Dink case as the murder happened six years ago, and some of crucial
evidence related to the incident may have been destroyed. "The
minister also said he expects the truth in the case to be exposed as
soon as possible," he added.
The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) ruled in September 2010
that Turkey had failed to investigate and prosecute those who were
responsible for Dink's murder and this constitutes a violation of
Dink's right to life. Friends of Hrant are saying, "We are Here
Ahparig! ("ahparig" means "my brother" in Armenian) this year. Last
week saw a week-long memorial of events ranging from film screenings
to exhibitions, from a symposium to story-reading and musical
performances that started at Cezayir Meeting Hall on Jan. 12-13 with a
symposium entitled "Hrant Dink Operation: Six Years."