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COURT: TURKEY MUST PAY SLAIN JOURNALIST'S FAMILY
The Associated Press
Tuesday, Sep. 14, 2010
ANKARA
Turkey Turkey must pay about $170,000 (euro133,000) to the family
of a slain ethnic Armenian journalist, the European Court of Human
Rights ruled Tuesday, saying the state failed to protect him despite
threats against his life.
The verdict also awarded the compensation to Hrant Dink's family
because of a lack of respect for freedom of expression, and for failure
to conduct a thorough investigation into the murder, the court said.
Dink was shot by an alleged hardline nationalist teenager outside
the Istanbul office of the minority Agos newspaper on Jan. 19, 2007.
The journalist had sought to encourage reconciliation between Turkey
and Armenia, but angered Turkish nationalists with assertions that the
mass killings of Armenians around the time of World War I constituted
genocide.
His killing led to international condemnation and debate within Turkey
about free speech. The gunman and several others have gone on trial
for his death.
Turkey's Foreign Ministry said in a statement Tuesday that the country
would not appeal the decision and that it "would abide by the ruling
and take measures to prevent reoccurrence of such violations."
His family welcomed the decision and said it would donate the money
to educational charities.
"He has been cleared," his wife, Rakel Dink, said in tears. "Today's
decision has confirmed that he was right."
Turkey, a candidate to become a member of the European Union, is
trying to prove its commitment to democracy.
From: A. Papazian
The Associated Press
Tuesday, Sep. 14, 2010
ANKARA
Turkey Turkey must pay about $170,000 (euro133,000) to the family
of a slain ethnic Armenian journalist, the European Court of Human
Rights ruled Tuesday, saying the state failed to protect him despite
threats against his life.
The verdict also awarded the compensation to Hrant Dink's family
because of a lack of respect for freedom of expression, and for failure
to conduct a thorough investigation into the murder, the court said.
Dink was shot by an alleged hardline nationalist teenager outside
the Istanbul office of the minority Agos newspaper on Jan. 19, 2007.
The journalist had sought to encourage reconciliation between Turkey
and Armenia, but angered Turkish nationalists with assertions that the
mass killings of Armenians around the time of World War I constituted
genocide.
His killing led to international condemnation and debate within Turkey
about free speech. The gunman and several others have gone on trial
for his death.
Turkey's Foreign Ministry said in a statement Tuesday that the country
would not appeal the decision and that it "would abide by the ruling
and take measures to prevent reoccurrence of such violations."
His family welcomed the decision and said it would donate the money
to educational charities.
"He has been cleared," his wife, Rakel Dink, said in tears. "Today's
decision has confirmed that he was right."
Turkey, a candidate to become a member of the European Union, is
trying to prove its commitment to democracy.
From: A. Papazian