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AGOS LAWYER SAYS OBSTRUCTIONS MAY DERAIL CO-PLAINTIFF MISSION
Today's Zaman
June 17 2010
Turkey
Fethiye Cetin, a lawyer for the Turkish-Armenian weekly Agos,
is happy to have been granted co-plaintiff status in the trial
of the Cage Operation Action Plan, but added that obstructions by
third parties could make the lawyers for the weekly fail in their
co-plaintiff mission.
On Tuesday the İstanbul 12th High Criminal Court accepted a request
from the Agos lawyers for co-plaintiff status in the trial of the
Cage plan, an alleged Naval Forces Command plan to overthrow the
government through the assassinations of prominent non-Muslims.
Co-plaintiff status grants a person, or their legal representatives,
the right to take part in an ongoing legal action along with the
prosecution.
"Some judges objected to our demand for co-plaintiff status. But
what was important was the decision to give us that status. We will
work to fulfill our duty as a co-plaintiff in the trial. However, if
we face obstructions, we may fail in our mission. The circumstances
must be right for us to succeed," she remarked.
The Cage plot mentions a subversive plan to undermine the Justice and
Development Party (AK Party) by assassinating prominent non-Muslim
figures in Turkey and putting the blame for the killings on the AK
Party. The plan aimed to intimidate the country's non-Muslim groups,
which was expected to increase internal and external pressure on the
ruling party. Weakening public support for the party was intended to
eventually lead to a military takeover.
Hrant Dink, once the editor-in-chief of Agos, was shot dead in 2007
by an ultranationalist Turkish adolescent. The Cage plot calls the
killing of Dink an "operation." The murder is believed by many to be
the work of a clandestine terrorist organization known as Ergenekon.
Dozens of Ergenekon members are currently in jail pending trial on
charges of working to overthrow the government.
Agos Editor-in-Chief Etyen Mahcupyan said time will reveal whether his
weekly's lawyers will accomplish their mission as co-plaintiffs in the
Cage plot trial. What makes him think this way is the accusatory and
insulting stance of defendants in the trial against the Agos lawyers.
Tuesday's trial was held in a rather tense atmosphere. The defendants
verbally attacked the Agos lawyers.
"Even if the case is covered up, there are people who will continue
to pursue it. There are journalists and lawyers in this sense,"
stated Mahcupyan, and added that Turkey's non-Muslims prefer to
ignore the plot because they know very well that plans against them
will not succeed.
"They will be less scared as of today because they know exactly what
plans were made against them," he said.
From: A. Papazian
Today's Zaman
June 17 2010
Turkey
Fethiye Cetin, a lawyer for the Turkish-Armenian weekly Agos,
is happy to have been granted co-plaintiff status in the trial
of the Cage Operation Action Plan, but added that obstructions by
third parties could make the lawyers for the weekly fail in their
co-plaintiff mission.
On Tuesday the İstanbul 12th High Criminal Court accepted a request
from the Agos lawyers for co-plaintiff status in the trial of the
Cage plan, an alleged Naval Forces Command plan to overthrow the
government through the assassinations of prominent non-Muslims.
Co-plaintiff status grants a person, or their legal representatives,
the right to take part in an ongoing legal action along with the
prosecution.
"Some judges objected to our demand for co-plaintiff status. But
what was important was the decision to give us that status. We will
work to fulfill our duty as a co-plaintiff in the trial. However, if
we face obstructions, we may fail in our mission. The circumstances
must be right for us to succeed," she remarked.
The Cage plot mentions a subversive plan to undermine the Justice and
Development Party (AK Party) by assassinating prominent non-Muslim
figures in Turkey and putting the blame for the killings on the AK
Party. The plan aimed to intimidate the country's non-Muslim groups,
which was expected to increase internal and external pressure on the
ruling party. Weakening public support for the party was intended to
eventually lead to a military takeover.
Hrant Dink, once the editor-in-chief of Agos, was shot dead in 2007
by an ultranationalist Turkish adolescent. The Cage plot calls the
killing of Dink an "operation." The murder is believed by many to be
the work of a clandestine terrorist organization known as Ergenekon.
Dozens of Ergenekon members are currently in jail pending trial on
charges of working to overthrow the government.
Agos Editor-in-Chief Etyen Mahcupyan said time will reveal whether his
weekly's lawyers will accomplish their mission as co-plaintiffs in the
Cage plot trial. What makes him think this way is the accusatory and
insulting stance of defendants in the trial against the Agos lawyers.
Tuesday's trial was held in a rather tense atmosphere. The defendants
verbally attacked the Agos lawyers.
"Even if the case is covered up, there are people who will continue
to pursue it. There are journalists and lawyers in this sense,"
stated Mahcupyan, and added that Turkey's non-Muslims prefer to
ignore the plot because they know very well that plans against them
will not succeed.
"They will be less scared as of today because they know exactly what
plans were made against them," he said.
From: A. Papazian