Turkey's newly elected ombudsman under fire over Dink case
December 1, 2012 - 12:32 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net - Pressure is mounting for Turkey's newly elected
first ombudsman to resign amid criticism from the family of slain
Turkish-Armenian journalist, editor-in-chief of Agos bilingual weekly
Hrant Dink, who was assassinated in January 2007.
According to Hurriyet Daily News, Mehmet Ã-meroÄ?lu, a retired member of
the Supreme Court of Appeals, is under fire for his role in an appeals
court verdict. He was one of the judges who approved the late Dink's
sentence under Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code, which outlaws
`publicly insulting the Turkish nation,' in July 2006.
Dink's brother Hosof Dink said the appeals court verdict was the late
journalist's death sentence. `Instead of calling those who gave this
verdict to account, they are rewarded,' he said.
Ã-meroÄ?lu was elected by parliament as Turkey's first chief ombudsman on Nov 27.
The retired judge responded to the criticisms about the controversial
Dink verdict, saying he was not even aware that the name in that case
was `Hrant' since it was written as `Fırat,' Dink's official name in
the registered documents, according to a daily Radikal report on Nov
30.
The main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) also called for
Ã-meroÄ?lu's resignation. `Under these circumstances, we can say the
ombudsman institute in Turkey was stillborn,' CHP deputy Atilla Kart
said.
December 1, 2012 - 12:32 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net - Pressure is mounting for Turkey's newly elected
first ombudsman to resign amid criticism from the family of slain
Turkish-Armenian journalist, editor-in-chief of Agos bilingual weekly
Hrant Dink, who was assassinated in January 2007.
According to Hurriyet Daily News, Mehmet Ã-meroÄ?lu, a retired member of
the Supreme Court of Appeals, is under fire for his role in an appeals
court verdict. He was one of the judges who approved the late Dink's
sentence under Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code, which outlaws
`publicly insulting the Turkish nation,' in July 2006.
Dink's brother Hosof Dink said the appeals court verdict was the late
journalist's death sentence. `Instead of calling those who gave this
verdict to account, they are rewarded,' he said.
Ã-meroÄ?lu was elected by parliament as Turkey's first chief ombudsman on Nov 27.
The retired judge responded to the criticisms about the controversial
Dink verdict, saying he was not even aware that the name in that case
was `Hrant' since it was written as `Fırat,' Dink's official name in
the registered documents, according to a daily Radikal report on Nov
30.
The main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) also called for
Ã-meroÄ?lu's resignation. `Under these circumstances, we can say the
ombudsman institute in Turkey was stillborn,' CHP deputy Atilla Kart
said.