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STATE CONFESSES NEGLIGENCE IN DINK MURDER
Today's Zaman
Feb 22 2012
Turkey
"State officials became aware of a threat against Dink's life, but
failed to take the necessary measures. Had they done so, they could
have prevented him from being killed. ... The lack of coordination
between the National Police Department and gendarmerie intelligence led
to Hrant Dink's death." These are some of the striking excerpts from a
recently released 653-page report prepared by the Presidency over the
killing of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink in İstanbul in 2007.
The report, prepared by the State Audit Institution (DDK) functioning
under President Abdullah Gul's office, released the lengthy report on
Dink's murder on Feb. 20. An İstanbul court issued a verdict on Jan.
17 after a five-year trial concerning Dink's murder. All the suspects
were acquitted of charges, though all the evidence demonstrated that
the incident was an organized crime, Dink's lawyers told the media
at the time. Ogun Samast, who gunned Dink down, was sentenced to
aggravated life imprisonment, but he was acquitted of the charge of
membership in a terrorist organization.
The court verdict sparked major outrage in the country because the
verdict said the suspects had no ties to a larger crime network but
acted alone.
However, the court ruling was appealed because both the prosecution and
lawyers representing the Dink family believe the killers are affiliated
with the Ergenekon network, whose suspected members are currently
standing trial on charges of plotting to overthrow the government.
The DDK report, in the meantime, confirmed for the first time the
serious negligence of Turkish intelligence, which ultimately culminated
in Dink's murder.
Dink's lawyers had waged a persistent judicial battle to have the civil
servants who were suspected of being involved in one way or another
in the process that culminated in the murder interrogated, but failed.
The DDK report provides Dink's lawyers with strong support in their
battle to have state officials interrogated. The DDK report highlighted
the serious lack of coordination between the police and gendarmerie
intelligence, both of whom it said failed to prevent the threat to
Dink's life.
This report's conclusion points to the grave consequences that come
from the absence of coordination between the two institutions in
charge of ensuring law and order, which led to Dink's murder.
"There were problems in institutional structures and practices
in relation to the collection and evaluation of intelligence and
providing individual security. Therefore, there is a need to touch
on the 'need for reform'," the report added.
It also highlighted the absence of will within the state to lift the
protective shield from the civil servants who are alleged to have
committed crimes so that they can appear in court. Dink's lawyers
insisted during the course of the proceedings that a colonel from the
gendarmerie as well as a police chief, both of whom are suspected
of negligence with regard to preventing Dink's murder, should be
investigated.
The DDK report is now expected to pave the way for the investigation
of state officials suspected of negligence in Dink's murder. This
country has witnessed several murders of non-Muslim Turkish citizens,
with recent ones being the murder of a priest, Father Andrea Santoro,
several years ago by a young man as well as the murder of a German
citizen in Malatya in 2007. In the same incident in Malatya, two of
the victims were Turkish converts from Islam.
All the murderers who have been caught are alleged to have been acting
alone, but such allegations have failed to convince the general public.
These murders prove the existence of a powerful network of
ultra-nationalists who brainwash young men to turn them into hitmen
to achieve their goal of undermining democratic reforms.
Turkey also needs a law that will criminalize those committing
hate crimes.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Today's Zaman
Feb 22 2012
Turkey
"State officials became aware of a threat against Dink's life, but
failed to take the necessary measures. Had they done so, they could
have prevented him from being killed. ... The lack of coordination
between the National Police Department and gendarmerie intelligence led
to Hrant Dink's death." These are some of the striking excerpts from a
recently released 653-page report prepared by the Presidency over the
killing of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink in İstanbul in 2007.
The report, prepared by the State Audit Institution (DDK) functioning
under President Abdullah Gul's office, released the lengthy report on
Dink's murder on Feb. 20. An İstanbul court issued a verdict on Jan.
17 after a five-year trial concerning Dink's murder. All the suspects
were acquitted of charges, though all the evidence demonstrated that
the incident was an organized crime, Dink's lawyers told the media
at the time. Ogun Samast, who gunned Dink down, was sentenced to
aggravated life imprisonment, but he was acquitted of the charge of
membership in a terrorist organization.
The court verdict sparked major outrage in the country because the
verdict said the suspects had no ties to a larger crime network but
acted alone.
However, the court ruling was appealed because both the prosecution and
lawyers representing the Dink family believe the killers are affiliated
with the Ergenekon network, whose suspected members are currently
standing trial on charges of plotting to overthrow the government.
The DDK report, in the meantime, confirmed for the first time the
serious negligence of Turkish intelligence, which ultimately culminated
in Dink's murder.
Dink's lawyers had waged a persistent judicial battle to have the civil
servants who were suspected of being involved in one way or another
in the process that culminated in the murder interrogated, but failed.
The DDK report provides Dink's lawyers with strong support in their
battle to have state officials interrogated. The DDK report highlighted
the serious lack of coordination between the police and gendarmerie
intelligence, both of whom it said failed to prevent the threat to
Dink's life.
This report's conclusion points to the grave consequences that come
from the absence of coordination between the two institutions in
charge of ensuring law and order, which led to Dink's murder.
"There were problems in institutional structures and practices
in relation to the collection and evaluation of intelligence and
providing individual security. Therefore, there is a need to touch
on the 'need for reform'," the report added.
It also highlighted the absence of will within the state to lift the
protective shield from the civil servants who are alleged to have
committed crimes so that they can appear in court. Dink's lawyers
insisted during the course of the proceedings that a colonel from the
gendarmerie as well as a police chief, both of whom are suspected
of negligence with regard to preventing Dink's murder, should be
investigated.
The DDK report is now expected to pave the way for the investigation
of state officials suspected of negligence in Dink's murder. This
country has witnessed several murders of non-Muslim Turkish citizens,
with recent ones being the murder of a priest, Father Andrea Santoro,
several years ago by a young man as well as the murder of a German
citizen in Malatya in 2007. In the same incident in Malatya, two of
the victims were Turkish converts from Islam.
All the murderers who have been caught are alleged to have been acting
alone, but such allegations have failed to convince the general public.
These murders prove the existence of a powerful network of
ultra-nationalists who brainwash young men to turn them into hitmen
to achieve their goal of undermining democratic reforms.
Turkey also needs a law that will criminalize those committing
hate crimes.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress