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BIAnet, Turkey
Dec 31 2009
Lyrics Writer Praising Murder of Journalist Dink Goes Scot-Free
Defendants Türüt and Å?irin, lyrics writer and vocalist respectively of
a folk song which praises the murder of Turkish-Armenian journalist
Hrant Dink, have been acquitted. Defendant Ã-ztekin received a 1 year
prison sentence for producing and publishing the video clip.
Erhan Ã`STÃ`NDAÄ? [email protected] Istanbul - BÄ°A News Center31 December
2009, Thursday The Istanbul 16th Criminal Court of First Instance
handed a 1 year 15days prison sentence to Hakan Ã-ztekin for producing
and publishing a video clip which praised the murder of
Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink.
The folk song is called "Don't make a plan" ('Plan yapmayın plan'). It
was vocalized by İsmail Türüt and the lyrics were written by Arif
Å?irin. Both Türüt and Å?irin were acquitted. Defendant Zeynel Abidin
Mutlu, who put the clip onto Youtube together with Tekin, was
acquitted as well upon the authentication of claims due to a "lack of
clear and convincing evidence". The court postponed the explication of
the ruling regarding Ã-ztekin. All four defendants were tired under
charges of "praising crime and a criminal" and "inciting the public to
hatred and hostility".
Türüt made the following announcement after the hearing: "The ones who
convicted us without a trial, the ones who insulted us in their
columns, the ones who go along with the highbrows - are they not
ashamed now? I wonder what they will write in their columns".
Ã-mer YeÅ?ilyurt, lawyer of Türüt and Å?irin, indicated, "The song was
sang to call the people from the Black Sea region for sensitivity and
to draw attention to the games played behind the scenes".
The Human Rights Association, the Association of Human Rights and
Solidarity for Oppressed Peoples (MAZLUM-DER) and several other human
rights organizations had reacted against Türüt based on the lyrics of
the folk song which praise Dink murder suspects Yasin Hayal and Ogün
Samast.
Türü ;t defended the folk song until the end, arguing that the song did
not have such an intention and that he did not approve of the video
clip.
The Istanbul court also decreed to block access to the video clip on
Youtube. Nevertheless, the clip can still be accessed. The lyrics
include lines like "Let them say this on that day ("Ogün") and this
today / The Black Sea does not run out of Fatihas (Muslim prayer) and
Yasins.
Editor-in-Chief of the Armenian Agos newspaper was killed in front of
the newspaper's office in Istanbul on 19 January 2007. (EÃ`/VK)
http://www.bianet.org/english/freed om-of-expression/119191-lyrics-writer-praising-mur der-of-journalist-dink-goes-scot-free
Dec 31 2009
Lyrics Writer Praising Murder of Journalist Dink Goes Scot-Free
Defendants Türüt and Å?irin, lyrics writer and vocalist respectively of
a folk song which praises the murder of Turkish-Armenian journalist
Hrant Dink, have been acquitted. Defendant Ã-ztekin received a 1 year
prison sentence for producing and publishing the video clip.
Erhan Ã`STÃ`NDAÄ? [email protected] Istanbul - BÄ°A News Center31 December
2009, Thursday The Istanbul 16th Criminal Court of First Instance
handed a 1 year 15days prison sentence to Hakan Ã-ztekin for producing
and publishing a video clip which praised the murder of
Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink.
The folk song is called "Don't make a plan" ('Plan yapmayın plan'). It
was vocalized by İsmail Türüt and the lyrics were written by Arif
Å?irin. Both Türüt and Å?irin were acquitted. Defendant Zeynel Abidin
Mutlu, who put the clip onto Youtube together with Tekin, was
acquitted as well upon the authentication of claims due to a "lack of
clear and convincing evidence". The court postponed the explication of
the ruling regarding Ã-ztekin. All four defendants were tired under
charges of "praising crime and a criminal" and "inciting the public to
hatred and hostility".
Türüt made the following announcement after the hearing: "The ones who
convicted us without a trial, the ones who insulted us in their
columns, the ones who go along with the highbrows - are they not
ashamed now? I wonder what they will write in their columns".
Ã-mer YeÅ?ilyurt, lawyer of Türüt and Å?irin, indicated, "The song was
sang to call the people from the Black Sea region for sensitivity and
to draw attention to the games played behind the scenes".
The Human Rights Association, the Association of Human Rights and
Solidarity for Oppressed Peoples (MAZLUM-DER) and several other human
rights organizations had reacted against Türüt based on the lyrics of
the folk song which praise Dink murder suspects Yasin Hayal and Ogün
Samast.
Türü ;t defended the folk song until the end, arguing that the song did
not have such an intention and that he did not approve of the video
clip.
The Istanbul court also decreed to block access to the video clip on
Youtube. Nevertheless, the clip can still be accessed. The lyrics
include lines like "Let them say this on that day ("Ogün") and this
today / The Black Sea does not run out of Fatihas (Muslim prayer) and
Yasins.
Editor-in-Chief of the Armenian Agos newspaper was killed in front of
the newspaper's office in Istanbul on 19 January 2007. (EÃ`/VK)
http://www.bianet.org/english/freed om-of-expression/119191-lyrics-writer-praising-mur der-of-journalist-dink-goes-scot-free