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TURKEY URGED TO PURSUE FURTHER PROSECUTIONS IN HRANT DINK MURDER CASE
Amnesty
http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/turkey-urged-pursue-further-prosecutions-hrant-dink-murder-case-2011-07-26
July 26, 2011
Amnesty International has again called on the Turkish authorities to
investigate alleged collusion and negligence by state officials in the
2007 killing of journalist and human rights activist Hrant Dink, after
one man was sentenced to nearly 23 years in prison for his murder.
Ogun Samast was sentenced by an Istanbul Children's Court on Monday.
He was initially given a life sentence but the term was commuted
because he was a minor at the time of the murder. Eighteen other
people are currently on trial for their involvement in the murder.
"While the sentencing of Ogun Samast is welcome news, he is just one
of the people responsible for Hrant Dink's murder. The authorities
must investigate all the circumstances around his death and bring
everyone responsible to justice, whatever their position of power,"
said Andrew Gardner Amnesty International's expert on Turkey.
"The murder of Hrant Dink came after he was prosecuted by the Turkish
authorities for his writings on the identity of Turkish citizens of
Armenian origin. His murder was apparently committed with the tacit
agreement of elements within the Turkish law enforcement agencies.
This cannot go unpunished."
In September 2010, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that the
Turkish authorities had failed to act on information they received
that could have prevented Hrant Dink's murder and had failed to
investigate the role of state officials in his death.
In June 2011, Colonel Ali Oz and seven other military personnel
were convicted of negligence for their failure to relay information
regarding the plot to kill Hrant Dink which could have prevented
the murder.
Hrant Dink, a Turkish citizen of Armenian origin, was killed on 19
January 2007. The editor of the Agos newspaper and contributor to
the influential daily Zaman, he was shot outside the Agos offices
in Istanbul.
In June 2011, death threats were made against Etyen Mahcupyan and
Baskın Oran, both journalists at Agos newspaper. Similar threats
have been made at various times since 2004 for which no one has been
brought to justice.
Hrant Dink was best known for being critical of the Turkish government
over issues of Armenian identity and over official versions of history
in Turkey relating to the massacres of Armenians in 1915. He was
repeatedly prosecuted for expressing his opinions.
In 2005, he was given a six-month suspended prison sentence for
"denigrating Turkishness" in writings about the identity of Turkish
citizens of Armenian origin.
Others in Turkey have since been prosecuted, like Hrant Dink, under
legislation that is used to prosecute dissenting opinions violating
the right to freedom of expression.
In March this year, eight journalists were arrested for being members
of Ergenekon, an alleged ultra-nationalist network with links to the
Turkish state.
Two of the eight, Ahmet Å~^ık and Nedim Å~^ener are investigative
journalists known for their work exposing human rights abuses by
elements within state institutions. They remain in pre-trial detention
awaiting trial for being members of a terrorist organization.
"The Turkish authorities must take action to ensure that dissenting
voices are not silenced by legislation or threats of violence," said
Andrew Gardner. "The people of Turkey must be free to express their
opinions without fear of death or imprisonment."
Amnesty
http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/turkey-urged-pursue-further-prosecutions-hrant-dink-murder-case-2011-07-26
July 26, 2011
Amnesty International has again called on the Turkish authorities to
investigate alleged collusion and negligence by state officials in the
2007 killing of journalist and human rights activist Hrant Dink, after
one man was sentenced to nearly 23 years in prison for his murder.
Ogun Samast was sentenced by an Istanbul Children's Court on Monday.
He was initially given a life sentence but the term was commuted
because he was a minor at the time of the murder. Eighteen other
people are currently on trial for their involvement in the murder.
"While the sentencing of Ogun Samast is welcome news, he is just one
of the people responsible for Hrant Dink's murder. The authorities
must investigate all the circumstances around his death and bring
everyone responsible to justice, whatever their position of power,"
said Andrew Gardner Amnesty International's expert on Turkey.
"The murder of Hrant Dink came after he was prosecuted by the Turkish
authorities for his writings on the identity of Turkish citizens of
Armenian origin. His murder was apparently committed with the tacit
agreement of elements within the Turkish law enforcement agencies.
This cannot go unpunished."
In September 2010, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that the
Turkish authorities had failed to act on information they received
that could have prevented Hrant Dink's murder and had failed to
investigate the role of state officials in his death.
In June 2011, Colonel Ali Oz and seven other military personnel
were convicted of negligence for their failure to relay information
regarding the plot to kill Hrant Dink which could have prevented
the murder.
Hrant Dink, a Turkish citizen of Armenian origin, was killed on 19
January 2007. The editor of the Agos newspaper and contributor to
the influential daily Zaman, he was shot outside the Agos offices
in Istanbul.
In June 2011, death threats were made against Etyen Mahcupyan and
Baskın Oran, both journalists at Agos newspaper. Similar threats
have been made at various times since 2004 for which no one has been
brought to justice.
Hrant Dink was best known for being critical of the Turkish government
over issues of Armenian identity and over official versions of history
in Turkey relating to the massacres of Armenians in 1915. He was
repeatedly prosecuted for expressing his opinions.
In 2005, he was given a six-month suspended prison sentence for
"denigrating Turkishness" in writings about the identity of Turkish
citizens of Armenian origin.
Others in Turkey have since been prosecuted, like Hrant Dink, under
legislation that is used to prosecute dissenting opinions violating
the right to freedom of expression.
In March this year, eight journalists were arrested for being members
of Ergenekon, an alleged ultra-nationalist network with links to the
Turkish state.
Two of the eight, Ahmet Å~^ık and Nedim Å~^ener are investigative
journalists known for their work exposing human rights abuses by
elements within state institutions. They remain in pre-trial detention
awaiting trial for being members of a terrorist organization.
"The Turkish authorities must take action to ensure that dissenting
voices are not silenced by legislation or threats of violence," said
Andrew Gardner. "The people of Turkey must be free to express their
opinions without fear of death or imprisonment."