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INTERVENTION OF AGOS NEWSPAPER ATTORNEYS IN "CAGE ACTION PLAN" CASE
BIAnet.org
June 15 2010
Turkey
The Armenian Agos newspaper requests to be accepted as joint plaintiff
for the case of the "Cage Action Plan" which targeted non-Muslim
communities in Turkey. The trial will start at the Istanbul 12th High
Criminal Court on15 June.
Erol ONDEROÄ~^LU [email protected] Istanbul - BÄ°A News Center15 June
2010, Tuesday The Armenian weekly Agos newspaper prepared to become
joint plaintiffs of the "Cage Action Plan". The plan was supposedly
worked out as a coup plan by the Naval Forces, targeting non-Muslims
and aiming to charge them of their religious beliefs.
In today's first hearing (15 June) at the Istanbul 12th High Criminal
Court, the joint attorneys of the weekly will apply for acceptance
as a joint plaintiff.
The "Cage Action Plan" was revealed by Taraf newspaper in its
issue from 19 November 2009. It described spectacular plots against
religious minorities in Turkey in order to overthrow the government
of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). The plan included
the assassinations of Turkish-Armenian Agos chief editor Hrant Dink,
Priest Santoro and three employees of the Zirve Publishing company
in Malatya as "operations".
The founder of Agos newspaper, Hrant Dink, was killed in front of
his office in January 2007.
"Agos, minorities and non-Muslims were targeted" The Agos newspaper
and non-Muslims were included in the plan as "primary targets". It
had been announced that the plan furthermore comprised a list of
the names and addresses of Agos subscribers living on the Princess
Islands off the Asian coast of Istanbul.
The joint attorneys of the Armenian weekly said that the address list
of the subscribers was published in the internet, that they received
threatening phone calls and e-mails, and that threatening slogans were
sprayed on walls in particular on the islands. All this was mentioned
in the plan as actions within the scope of "terrifying propaganda".
Additionally, the "Cage Action Plan" includes actions such as
placing noise bombs in the region around the Agos office in Å~^iÅ~_li
(Istanbul) and on the islands, assassinations of religious leaders and
leaders of religious congregations, sending threatening messages to
churches and schools attended by children with a file at the police
and announcing bomb threats.
"Which stage of the plan was the Dink murder?"
Agos lawyer Fethiye Cetin stated that becoming joint plaintiffs
would be an important step in the struggle of perceiving minorities
as equal citizens. She called on human rights organizations and all
non-governmental organizations to support the case.
"The so-called 'time slot C' of the plan is very important for the
Dink case. This means that there must be time slots A and B as well.
It is likely that these time slots contain crucial information on
the murder of Hrant Dink and the other 'operations'. Becoming joint
plaintiffs of the trial means to participate in the investigations
into these points", Cetin stated.
The previous application of the lawyers to be accepted as joint
plaintiffs in the case related to a weapon cache found in Poyrazköy
(Istanbul) was dismissed. The court had directed them to the "Cage"
trial. (EO/TK/VK)
From: A. Papazian
BIAnet.org
June 15 2010
Turkey
The Armenian Agos newspaper requests to be accepted as joint plaintiff
for the case of the "Cage Action Plan" which targeted non-Muslim
communities in Turkey. The trial will start at the Istanbul 12th High
Criminal Court on15 June.
Erol ONDEROÄ~^LU [email protected] Istanbul - BÄ°A News Center15 June
2010, Tuesday The Armenian weekly Agos newspaper prepared to become
joint plaintiffs of the "Cage Action Plan". The plan was supposedly
worked out as a coup plan by the Naval Forces, targeting non-Muslims
and aiming to charge them of their religious beliefs.
In today's first hearing (15 June) at the Istanbul 12th High Criminal
Court, the joint attorneys of the weekly will apply for acceptance
as a joint plaintiff.
The "Cage Action Plan" was revealed by Taraf newspaper in its
issue from 19 November 2009. It described spectacular plots against
religious minorities in Turkey in order to overthrow the government
of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). The plan included
the assassinations of Turkish-Armenian Agos chief editor Hrant Dink,
Priest Santoro and three employees of the Zirve Publishing company
in Malatya as "operations".
The founder of Agos newspaper, Hrant Dink, was killed in front of
his office in January 2007.
"Agos, minorities and non-Muslims were targeted" The Agos newspaper
and non-Muslims were included in the plan as "primary targets". It
had been announced that the plan furthermore comprised a list of
the names and addresses of Agos subscribers living on the Princess
Islands off the Asian coast of Istanbul.
The joint attorneys of the Armenian weekly said that the address list
of the subscribers was published in the internet, that they received
threatening phone calls and e-mails, and that threatening slogans were
sprayed on walls in particular on the islands. All this was mentioned
in the plan as actions within the scope of "terrifying propaganda".
Additionally, the "Cage Action Plan" includes actions such as
placing noise bombs in the region around the Agos office in Å~^iÅ~_li
(Istanbul) and on the islands, assassinations of religious leaders and
leaders of religious congregations, sending threatening messages to
churches and schools attended by children with a file at the police
and announcing bomb threats.
"Which stage of the plan was the Dink murder?"
Agos lawyer Fethiye Cetin stated that becoming joint plaintiffs
would be an important step in the struggle of perceiving minorities
as equal citizens. She called on human rights organizations and all
non-governmental organizations to support the case.
"The so-called 'time slot C' of the plan is very important for the
Dink case. This means that there must be time slots A and B as well.
It is likely that these time slots contain crucial information on
the murder of Hrant Dink and the other 'operations'. Becoming joint
plaintiffs of the trial means to participate in the investigations
into these points", Cetin stated.
The previous application of the lawyers to be accepted as joint
plaintiffs in the case related to a weapon cache found in Poyrazköy
(Istanbul) was dismissed. The court had directed them to the "Cage"
trial. (EO/TK/VK)
From: A. Papazian