Tweet
BÝA, Turkey
July 14 2006
Dink Verdict on Way to European Court
Turkish-Armenian weekly "Agos" Editor-in-Chief Hrant Dink's lawyer
Fethiye Cetin says they will take his suspended 6 months prison
sentence to the European Court of Human Rights. Cetin expresses
sorrow for justice system, noting that the opportunity to s
BIA News Center
13/07/2006
BÝA (Ankara) - Armenian-Turkish bilingual weekly "Agos" newspaper
Editor-in-Chief Hrant Dink's lawyer Fethiye Cetin has said they will
take his suspended 6 months prison sentence to the European Court of
Human Rights (ECHR) following this week's ratification of the verdict
by the Turkish Court of Cassation.
Cetin said they would apply to the ECHR as soon as they received
written notification of the Appeals Court's decision that was taken
despite objections of the prosecution, saying the verdict was "at
the very least, sad for justice".
"With regard to the interpretation of article 301, they could have
created a precedent that would have been extremely just and in
accordance with democracy. This would have been in the interest of
Turkey. This opportunity was lost" Cetin said, evaluating the court's
conclusive decision that confirmed Dink's sentence.
Dink was originally sentenced under article 301 by an Istanbul court to
6 months jail on October 7, 2005 where opinions expressed in his 2004
article series "The Armenian Identity" published in Agos were found
to be "insulting and ridiculing Turkishness". Subject to the verdict
were Dink's remarks "The poisoned blood that will spill from Turks will
be replaced by noble blood of the Armenians who will create Armenia".
The same court later suspended the sentence justifying it with the
convict's goodwill but the deferment was on condition that he did not
commit a similar offence for a period of five years and if he did,
would serve the previous sentence in full alongside any new sentence.
Following an appeal against the decision, the high court prosecutor
demanded Dink's acquittal, but the demand which relied on the
evaluation that Dink's controversial expressions were "allegorical"
rather more than insulting "Turkishness" was turned down. (EO/II/YE)
--Boundary_(ID_IHB8L2UqpPZ+/eZwjNKU7w) --
July 14 2006
Dink Verdict on Way to European Court
Turkish-Armenian weekly "Agos" Editor-in-Chief Hrant Dink's lawyer
Fethiye Cetin says they will take his suspended 6 months prison
sentence to the European Court of Human Rights. Cetin expresses
sorrow for justice system, noting that the opportunity to s
BIA News Center
13/07/2006
BÝA (Ankara) - Armenian-Turkish bilingual weekly "Agos" newspaper
Editor-in-Chief Hrant Dink's lawyer Fethiye Cetin has said they will
take his suspended 6 months prison sentence to the European Court of
Human Rights (ECHR) following this week's ratification of the verdict
by the Turkish Court of Cassation.
Cetin said they would apply to the ECHR as soon as they received
written notification of the Appeals Court's decision that was taken
despite objections of the prosecution, saying the verdict was "at
the very least, sad for justice".
"With regard to the interpretation of article 301, they could have
created a precedent that would have been extremely just and in
accordance with democracy. This would have been in the interest of
Turkey. This opportunity was lost" Cetin said, evaluating the court's
conclusive decision that confirmed Dink's sentence.
Dink was originally sentenced under article 301 by an Istanbul court to
6 months jail on October 7, 2005 where opinions expressed in his 2004
article series "The Armenian Identity" published in Agos were found
to be "insulting and ridiculing Turkishness". Subject to the verdict
were Dink's remarks "The poisoned blood that will spill from Turks will
be replaced by noble blood of the Armenians who will create Armenia".
The same court later suspended the sentence justifying it with the
convict's goodwill but the deferment was on condition that he did not
commit a similar offence for a period of five years and if he did,
would serve the previous sentence in full alongside any new sentence.
Following an appeal against the decision, the high court prosecutor
demanded Dink's acquittal, but the demand which relied on the
evaluation that Dink's controversial expressions were "allegorical"
rather more than insulting "Turkishness" was turned down. (EO/II/YE)
--Boundary_(ID_IHB8L2UqpPZ+/eZwjNKU7w) --