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Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
April 6 2013
Agos head KoptaÅ? and writer Kıvanç investigated for insulting `Turkishness'
ISTANBUL - Radikal
The editor-in-chief of the Armenian weekly Agos, Robert KoptaÅ?, and
writer Ã`mit Kıvanç are being investigated for allegedly insulting
Turkishness during a televised program right after the verdict in the
Hrant Dink case on Jan. 17, 2012, daily Radikal reported April 6.
The Istanbul Prosecutor's Office began the investigation a day after
citizen from Antalya identified as Aydın TaÅ?çı filed a complaint
claiming that he was bothered by both writers' opinions, the report
said. He was invited to give a testimony in May 2012.
Dink, the renowned chief editor of Agos, was shot in front of his
office in Istanbul on Jan. 19, 2007. The triggerman, Ogün Samast, was
sentenced to 22 years in prison, but the prosecutors' inability to
bring to the light the other actors behind the murder has caused
widespread anger. On Jan. 17, 2012, two days before the fifth
commemoration of the murder, the court ruled that it saw no `deep
state' role in the plotting of the assassination. The ruling attracted
strong reactions, and both writers harshly criticized the verdict on
private broadcaster Habertürk.
Following a long period of gathering evidence, prosecutors summoned
both KoptaÅ? and Kıvanç to testify last week. Sources at the office
told Radikal that the investigation was in the phase of collecting
evidence and that it could be dropped after testimony from both of the
accused. However, because of a new law, prosecutors are now forced to
ask permission from the Justice Ministry before launching any
investigation into any case that falls under the purview of Article
301, which encompasses the crime of insulting `Turkishness,' Radikal
said. The Justice Ministry has said there has not been any application
to obtain permission in the case of KoptaÅ? and Kıvanç.
`Obviously an Armenian'
TaÅ?çı referred in his complaint to KoptaÅ? as `obviously an Armenian,'
Radikal reported. `I wanted to notify that as a Turkish citizen, I do
not accept them saying that the Turkish state is a murderer, that it
continues its murders, as well as the objectionable words they have
used about the judicial process,' TaÅ?çı wrote.
KoptaÅ? and Kıvanç's lawyer said the complaint should not have been
taken into consideration. `The responsibility of public servants in
the murder of Hrant Dink was determined in a decision by the European
Court of Human Rights. Even the prosecutors [of the Dink case] said
the investigation had not been effective enough. This was the opinions
expressed by KoptaÅ? and Kıvanç.'
April/06/2013
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/agos-head-koptas-and-writer-kivanc-investigated-for-insulting-turkishness-.aspx?pageID=238&nID=44399&NewsCatID=339
April 6 2013
Agos head KoptaÅ? and writer Kıvanç investigated for insulting `Turkishness'
ISTANBUL - Radikal
The editor-in-chief of the Armenian weekly Agos, Robert KoptaÅ?, and
writer Ã`mit Kıvanç are being investigated for allegedly insulting
Turkishness during a televised program right after the verdict in the
Hrant Dink case on Jan. 17, 2012, daily Radikal reported April 6.
The Istanbul Prosecutor's Office began the investigation a day after
citizen from Antalya identified as Aydın TaÅ?çı filed a complaint
claiming that he was bothered by both writers' opinions, the report
said. He was invited to give a testimony in May 2012.
Dink, the renowned chief editor of Agos, was shot in front of his
office in Istanbul on Jan. 19, 2007. The triggerman, Ogün Samast, was
sentenced to 22 years in prison, but the prosecutors' inability to
bring to the light the other actors behind the murder has caused
widespread anger. On Jan. 17, 2012, two days before the fifth
commemoration of the murder, the court ruled that it saw no `deep
state' role in the plotting of the assassination. The ruling attracted
strong reactions, and both writers harshly criticized the verdict on
private broadcaster Habertürk.
Following a long period of gathering evidence, prosecutors summoned
both KoptaÅ? and Kıvanç to testify last week. Sources at the office
told Radikal that the investigation was in the phase of collecting
evidence and that it could be dropped after testimony from both of the
accused. However, because of a new law, prosecutors are now forced to
ask permission from the Justice Ministry before launching any
investigation into any case that falls under the purview of Article
301, which encompasses the crime of insulting `Turkishness,' Radikal
said. The Justice Ministry has said there has not been any application
to obtain permission in the case of KoptaÅ? and Kıvanç.
`Obviously an Armenian'
TaÅ?çı referred in his complaint to KoptaÅ? as `obviously an Armenian,'
Radikal reported. `I wanted to notify that as a Turkish citizen, I do
not accept them saying that the Turkish state is a murderer, that it
continues its murders, as well as the objectionable words they have
used about the judicial process,' TaÅ?çı wrote.
KoptaÅ? and Kıvanç's lawyer said the complaint should not have been
taken into consideration. `The responsibility of public servants in
the murder of Hrant Dink was determined in a decision by the European
Court of Human Rights. Even the prosecutors [of the Dink case] said
the investigation had not been effective enough. This was the opinions
expressed by KoptaÅ? and Kıvanç.'
April/06/2013
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/agos-head-koptas-and-writer-kivanc-investigated-for-insulting-turkishness-.aspx?pageID=238&nID=44399&NewsCatID=339