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'ECTHR RULE PROVES DINK DID NOT DEGRADE TURKISHNESS'
Today's Zaman
Sept 16 2010
Turkey
Fethiye Cetin, a lawyer representing the family of Turkish-Armenian
journalist Hrant Dink, who was assassinated in 2007, has said the
European Court of Human Rights' (ECtHR) ruling is proof that Dink
did not insult Turkishness.
The ECtHR ruled on Tuesday that Turkey failed in its duty to protect
the life of the slain journalist and to effectively investigate his
murder. In a long-awaited unanimous ruling, the court also included a
reference to possible links between the murder of Dink and Ergenekon,
a clandestine terrorist group accused of plotting a military coup
against the government.
"The ECtHR has fully comprehended the fact that Dink had been targeted
since 2004, how the murder had been planned step-by-step since 2004 and
how the media and the judiciary played a role in this. The court also
understood the faults of the Trabzon Gendarmerie, the Trabzon police
and the Ä°stanbul police, which did not take precautions although
they knew the details of the murder. The court also understood that
there were no results obtained in the court case in Turkey and ruled
against Turkey," said Cetin, who spoke at a press conference yesterday.
Cetin added that if the Dink murder had been solved "dark forces
within the state" would have come to light. "The state's black box
will be opened. We have an opportunity from now on to restart the
investigations and continue to work to find Dink's murderer. This
will enable us to even the score," she also said.
Dink was shot dead by an ultra-nationalist teenager outside the
offices of the Agos newspaper in Ä°stanbul in January 2007. The
investigation into his murder has stalled as the suspected perpetrator
and his immediate accomplices have been put on trial, but those who
masterminded the plot to kill him have yet to be revealed.
There is a lengthy list of suspicious irregularities in the
investigation into Dink's murder, including deleted records and
hidden files suggestive of an attempted police cover up. The Dink
family's lawyers have said much of the evidence indicates that the
murder could have been prevented.
Rober KoptaÅ~_, the new editor-in-chief of Agos, pointed out at the
press conference that Dink would be 56 years old on Sept. 15 if he
were alive.
"The ECtHR's ruling is the result of Dink's application to the court
eight days before he died because he had exhausted all legal channels
in Turkey. He was trying to clear the stain that claimed 'he insulted
Turkishness.' This was very important for him. Unfortunately, the
Turkish courts wouldn't do what was necessary and ruled in a way that
resulted in Dink being targeted," he said.
In the defense's petition to the Strasbourg-based court, the Turkish
government claimed that Dink had insulted Turkishness and used hate
speech. The public raised many objections to this defense prepared by
the Turkish Foreign Ministry. Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said
he was personally very disturbed by the defense. Justice Minister
Sadullah Ergin was of a similar opinion. Davutoglu added that he
learned about the defense only after it was submitted.
Yesterday, Davutoglu said that they will not object to the ECtHR
ruling. "No ruling will bring our valuable intellectual back," he
told reporters in Ankara.
On Tuesday, Dink's wife, Rakel Dink, said the ECtHR's ruling came as
if it is was present for Dink just before his birthday. Gathering
with Cetin and Agos staff in front of Agos and laying red roses on
the spot where he was shot, Rakel Dink said the sum awarded to the
Dink family by the court will be donated to organizations that work
for Armenian education and culture.
The court requires Turkey to pay 105,000 euros to Dink's family in
compensation and another 28,595 euros to the court for expenses.
"Hrant was so uncomfortable with the label given to him because he
struggled against discrimination and racism throughout his life,"
she said.
On Dink's birthday, the International Hrant Dink Award was presented
for the second time. Every year, the award is presented to two people,
one from Turkey and one from another country, who work for a world
free of discrimination, racism and violence, take personal risks for
their ideals, use the language of peace and, by doing so, inspire and
encourage others. Last year, Turkish journalist Alper GörmuÅ~_ and
Israeli journalist Amira Hass became the first recipients of the award.
From: A. Papazian
Today's Zaman
Sept 16 2010
Turkey
Fethiye Cetin, a lawyer representing the family of Turkish-Armenian
journalist Hrant Dink, who was assassinated in 2007, has said the
European Court of Human Rights' (ECtHR) ruling is proof that Dink
did not insult Turkishness.
The ECtHR ruled on Tuesday that Turkey failed in its duty to protect
the life of the slain journalist and to effectively investigate his
murder. In a long-awaited unanimous ruling, the court also included a
reference to possible links between the murder of Dink and Ergenekon,
a clandestine terrorist group accused of plotting a military coup
against the government.
"The ECtHR has fully comprehended the fact that Dink had been targeted
since 2004, how the murder had been planned step-by-step since 2004 and
how the media and the judiciary played a role in this. The court also
understood the faults of the Trabzon Gendarmerie, the Trabzon police
and the Ä°stanbul police, which did not take precautions although
they knew the details of the murder. The court also understood that
there were no results obtained in the court case in Turkey and ruled
against Turkey," said Cetin, who spoke at a press conference yesterday.
Cetin added that if the Dink murder had been solved "dark forces
within the state" would have come to light. "The state's black box
will be opened. We have an opportunity from now on to restart the
investigations and continue to work to find Dink's murderer. This
will enable us to even the score," she also said.
Dink was shot dead by an ultra-nationalist teenager outside the
offices of the Agos newspaper in Ä°stanbul in January 2007. The
investigation into his murder has stalled as the suspected perpetrator
and his immediate accomplices have been put on trial, but those who
masterminded the plot to kill him have yet to be revealed.
There is a lengthy list of suspicious irregularities in the
investigation into Dink's murder, including deleted records and
hidden files suggestive of an attempted police cover up. The Dink
family's lawyers have said much of the evidence indicates that the
murder could have been prevented.
Rober KoptaÅ~_, the new editor-in-chief of Agos, pointed out at the
press conference that Dink would be 56 years old on Sept. 15 if he
were alive.
"The ECtHR's ruling is the result of Dink's application to the court
eight days before he died because he had exhausted all legal channels
in Turkey. He was trying to clear the stain that claimed 'he insulted
Turkishness.' This was very important for him. Unfortunately, the
Turkish courts wouldn't do what was necessary and ruled in a way that
resulted in Dink being targeted," he said.
In the defense's petition to the Strasbourg-based court, the Turkish
government claimed that Dink had insulted Turkishness and used hate
speech. The public raised many objections to this defense prepared by
the Turkish Foreign Ministry. Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said
he was personally very disturbed by the defense. Justice Minister
Sadullah Ergin was of a similar opinion. Davutoglu added that he
learned about the defense only after it was submitted.
Yesterday, Davutoglu said that they will not object to the ECtHR
ruling. "No ruling will bring our valuable intellectual back," he
told reporters in Ankara.
On Tuesday, Dink's wife, Rakel Dink, said the ECtHR's ruling came as
if it is was present for Dink just before his birthday. Gathering
with Cetin and Agos staff in front of Agos and laying red roses on
the spot where he was shot, Rakel Dink said the sum awarded to the
Dink family by the court will be donated to organizations that work
for Armenian education and culture.
The court requires Turkey to pay 105,000 euros to Dink's family in
compensation and another 28,595 euros to the court for expenses.
"Hrant was so uncomfortable with the label given to him because he
struggled against discrimination and racism throughout his life,"
she said.
On Dink's birthday, the International Hrant Dink Award was presented
for the second time. Every year, the award is presented to two people,
one from Turkey and one from another country, who work for a world
free of discrimination, racism and violence, take personal risks for
their ideals, use the language of peace and, by doing so, inspire and
encourage others. Last year, Turkish journalist Alper GörmuÅ~_ and
Israeli journalist Amira Hass became the first recipients of the award.
From: A. Papazian