TURKISH PRESIDENT TO TAKE ACTION ON DINK CASE
Hurriyet
Jan 27 2011
Turkey
President Abdullah Gul has revealed plans to take action in the
controversial Hrant Dink murder case upon his return to Turkey,
telling reporters in Strasbourg that he planned to order further
investigations.
Dink, a Turkish journalist of Armenian origin who wrote on subjects
such as how a reconciliation process could be made possible between
Turks and Armenians, was murdered four years ago.
The Dink family recently made a new plea that police and gendarmerie
officials not questioned during the investigation be brought into the
scope of the investigation, given a recent European Court of Human
Rights decision that found Turkey guilty of both failing to protect
Dink and his freedom of speech and not properly investigating civil
servants suspected of being involved in the murder.
Gul said was ashamed that the Turkish government was not able to
protect one of its citizens and that the system in place in Turkey
had proven to be "deeply troubling" given that the Dink case remains
unsolved after four years.
Gul said he planned to instruct the State Audit Board, or DDK, to
further investigate the Dink case and bring to light what remains
hidden. Leaving the murder unsolved would be a "stain" on the country's
history and raise concerns regarding the judiciary process, he said,
adding that solving the case with a determined approach would prevent
similar incidents from happening in the future.
The DDK recently called for a new investigation into a 2009
helicopter crash that killed a right-wing political party leader,
Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu, after it found serious flaws in the Turkish state's
response to the incident.
CHP: Gul can reveal the truth
Asked about President Gul's decision to include the DDK in further
investigations into the case, opposition Republican People's Party,
or CHP, leader Kemal Kılıcdaroğlu said the investigation could finally
reveal the truth.
The ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, "conceals evidence,
instead of revealing it. We know that those who hide evidence are
elevated to high positions. It is a great development that the
president is stepping in. Maybe the public can finally learn the
facts that have been hidden," Kılıcdaroğlu said.
From: A. Papazian
Hurriyet
Jan 27 2011
Turkey
President Abdullah Gul has revealed plans to take action in the
controversial Hrant Dink murder case upon his return to Turkey,
telling reporters in Strasbourg that he planned to order further
investigations.
Dink, a Turkish journalist of Armenian origin who wrote on subjects
such as how a reconciliation process could be made possible between
Turks and Armenians, was murdered four years ago.
The Dink family recently made a new plea that police and gendarmerie
officials not questioned during the investigation be brought into the
scope of the investigation, given a recent European Court of Human
Rights decision that found Turkey guilty of both failing to protect
Dink and his freedom of speech and not properly investigating civil
servants suspected of being involved in the murder.
Gul said was ashamed that the Turkish government was not able to
protect one of its citizens and that the system in place in Turkey
had proven to be "deeply troubling" given that the Dink case remains
unsolved after four years.
Gul said he planned to instruct the State Audit Board, or DDK, to
further investigate the Dink case and bring to light what remains
hidden. Leaving the murder unsolved would be a "stain" on the country's
history and raise concerns regarding the judiciary process, he said,
adding that solving the case with a determined approach would prevent
similar incidents from happening in the future.
The DDK recently called for a new investigation into a 2009
helicopter crash that killed a right-wing political party leader,
Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu, after it found serious flaws in the Turkish state's
response to the incident.
CHP: Gul can reveal the truth
Asked about President Gul's decision to include the DDK in further
investigations into the case, opposition Republican People's Party,
or CHP, leader Kemal Kılıcdaroğlu said the investigation could finally
reveal the truth.
The ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, "conceals evidence,
instead of revealing it. We know that those who hide evidence are
elevated to high positions. It is a great development that the
president is stepping in. Maybe the public can finally learn the
facts that have been hidden," Kılıcdaroğlu said.
From: A. Papazian