Davutoglu Regrets Using Nazi Defense at Dink Trial
asbarez
Wednesday, August 18th, 2010
Murdered journalist Hrant Dink
ISTANBUL (Milliyet Daily News) - Turkey's foreign minister has said he
regrets the defense the Turkish state gave at the European Court of
Human Rights in a case concerning murdered journalist Hrant Dink.
Rejecting the defense that drew parallels between Hrant Dink's
perspectives and Neo-Nazism that were prepared by his ministry, Ahmet
Davutoglu indicated that Turkey could negotiate with Hrant Dink's
family.
`I feel regret for sending a defense to the European court regarding
the freedom of expression. A defense like this could not have come to
mind. As an intellectual and a minister, I could not come to terms
with this,' said Davutoglu, noting that he felt depressed when he
heard about the event on Sunday.
The foreign minister said he had not signed the document because he
was abroad in August 2009, when the defense was first filed at the
European court.
`Generally, I am the person who signs the negotiation and compensation
decisions, which are the heaviest ones for me because you accept both
the guilt and the deficiency of your country. Furthermore, money goes
out of the government's pocket. We compensate what the judiciary lacks
from the government's sources. You are also condemned in front of the
whole world. After Russia, we're the country whose cases go to the
European court the second-most frequently,' said Davutoglu.
From: A. Papazian
asbarez
Wednesday, August 18th, 2010
Murdered journalist Hrant Dink
ISTANBUL (Milliyet Daily News) - Turkey's foreign minister has said he
regrets the defense the Turkish state gave at the European Court of
Human Rights in a case concerning murdered journalist Hrant Dink.
Rejecting the defense that drew parallels between Hrant Dink's
perspectives and Neo-Nazism that were prepared by his ministry, Ahmet
Davutoglu indicated that Turkey could negotiate with Hrant Dink's
family.
`I feel regret for sending a defense to the European court regarding
the freedom of expression. A defense like this could not have come to
mind. As an intellectual and a minister, I could not come to terms
with this,' said Davutoglu, noting that he felt depressed when he
heard about the event on Sunday.
The foreign minister said he had not signed the document because he
was abroad in August 2009, when the defense was first filed at the
European court.
`Generally, I am the person who signs the negotiation and compensation
decisions, which are the heaviest ones for me because you accept both
the guilt and the deficiency of your country. Furthermore, money goes
out of the government's pocket. We compensate what the judiciary lacks
from the government's sources. You are also condemned in front of the
whole world. After Russia, we're the country whose cases go to the
European court the second-most frequently,' said Davutoglu.
From: A. Papazian