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Today's Zaman, Turkey
Nov 30 2012
Dink family concerned about ombudsman appointment
30 November 2012 / TODAY'S ZAMAN, Ä°STANBUL
Hosrof Dink, the brother of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink,
who was killed in 2007, has voiced his objection to the election of
Mehmet Nihat Ã-meroÄ?lu, a retired member of the Supreme Court of
Appeals, as Turkey's first chief ombudsman due to a controversial
ruling by Ã-meroÄ?lu against Hrant Dink.
Ã-meroÄ?lu was one of the judges at the Supreme Court of Appeals who
approved a local court's ruling against Dink over charges of
`insulting Turkishness' according to Article 301 of the Turkish Penal
Code (TCK), which was later amended.
Dink was shot dead by an ultranationalist youth in front of the
offices of the Armenian daily Agos. The perpetrator of the attack,
Ogün Samast, said he was disturbed about Dink's `insulting
Turkishness.'
In remarks that appeared in the media on Friday, Ã-meroÄ?lu said he was
not even aware that it was Hrant Dink who was convicted over Article
301.
`I was one of the 23 judges who approved the court ruling [against
Dink]. I was not even aware that the name in his dossier was Hrant as
Fırat was written instead,' he said.
Dink's brother, Hosrof, voiced his concern about Ã-meroÄ?lu's remarks,
saying that instead of being held accountable for his stance in the
Dink trial, he was awarded the position of chief ombudsman.
He said a ruling by the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) against
Turkey for the conviction of Hrant Dink under Article 301 clearly
showed that the Turkish courts' rulings were wrong.
`Now I want to ask this person whether he was aware that he was
signing the death decree of someone when he approved Hrant Dink's
conviction for an article he wrote, which the European court said does
not include any insult and is within the limits of freedom of speech.
If he has just become aware of this now, does he not think about
engaging in any self-criticism?' Hosrof Dink said.
An ombudsman is an independent public authority assigned to hear
complaints or grievances concerning the delivery of public services
and to investigate such matters and rectify or solve them.
The Ombudsman's Office will be responsible for examining and
investigating all manner of administrative acts, actions, attitudes
and behavior in terms of respect for human rights and freedoms,
conformity with the law and fairness and appropriateness within the
framework of the character of the Republic of Turkey as enshrined in
its Constitution. It will perform its functions as part of the
Parliament Speaker's Office.
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-299804-dink-family-concerned-about-ombudsman-appointment.html
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Nov 30 2012
Dink family concerned about ombudsman appointment
30 November 2012 / TODAY'S ZAMAN, Ä°STANBUL
Hosrof Dink, the brother of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink,
who was killed in 2007, has voiced his objection to the election of
Mehmet Nihat Ã-meroÄ?lu, a retired member of the Supreme Court of
Appeals, as Turkey's first chief ombudsman due to a controversial
ruling by Ã-meroÄ?lu against Hrant Dink.
Ã-meroÄ?lu was one of the judges at the Supreme Court of Appeals who
approved a local court's ruling against Dink over charges of
`insulting Turkishness' according to Article 301 of the Turkish Penal
Code (TCK), which was later amended.
Dink was shot dead by an ultranationalist youth in front of the
offices of the Armenian daily Agos. The perpetrator of the attack,
Ogün Samast, said he was disturbed about Dink's `insulting
Turkishness.'
In remarks that appeared in the media on Friday, Ã-meroÄ?lu said he was
not even aware that it was Hrant Dink who was convicted over Article
301.
`I was one of the 23 judges who approved the court ruling [against
Dink]. I was not even aware that the name in his dossier was Hrant as
Fırat was written instead,' he said.
Dink's brother, Hosrof, voiced his concern about Ã-meroÄ?lu's remarks,
saying that instead of being held accountable for his stance in the
Dink trial, he was awarded the position of chief ombudsman.
He said a ruling by the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) against
Turkey for the conviction of Hrant Dink under Article 301 clearly
showed that the Turkish courts' rulings were wrong.
`Now I want to ask this person whether he was aware that he was
signing the death decree of someone when he approved Hrant Dink's
conviction for an article he wrote, which the European court said does
not include any insult and is within the limits of freedom of speech.
If he has just become aware of this now, does he not think about
engaging in any self-criticism?' Hosrof Dink said.
An ombudsman is an independent public authority assigned to hear
complaints or grievances concerning the delivery of public services
and to investigate such matters and rectify or solve them.
The Ombudsman's Office will be responsible for examining and
investigating all manner of administrative acts, actions, attitudes
and behavior in terms of respect for human rights and freedoms,
conformity with the law and fairness and appropriateness within the
framework of the character of the Republic of Turkey as enshrined in
its Constitution. It will perform its functions as part of the
Parliament Speaker's Office.
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-299804-dink-family-concerned-about-ombudsman-appointment.html
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress