BÝA, Turkey
Aug 18 2007

Dink Murder Planner’s Lawyer a Suspect Himself

Fuat Turgut, the defence lawyer of suspect Yasin Hayal in the murder
trial of journalist Hrant Dink, is himself accused of making death
threats. If convicted, he would face debarment.

bia news center

10 Aðustos 2007, Cuma

Fuat Turgut, the lawyer representing suspect Yasin Hayal in the Hrant
Dink murder trial, has himself become the subject of a criminal
complaint. He has been accused of threatening a fellow lawyer with
death.

Following the complaint of Izmir Bar Association lawyer Ismail Hakki
Kücük, a case has been opened against Fuat Turgut at an Izmir
magistrate criminal court. Kücük had filed a complaint at the Izmir
Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office on 15 December 2005.

Kücük had been representing a wholesale shoe dealer, Mustaf Özvardar,
and Turgut was representing one Fethi Takes who had debts with
Özvardar. Kücük claims to have been threatened with death by both
Takes and his lawyer, Turgut.

Özvardar had gone to Kücük’s office and said, "You are telling me to
‘come and kill me’. If you want interest on this file, your children
will become orphans."

At the first hearing of the Hrant Dink murder trial at the Besiktas
court (Istanbul), Fuat Turgut had created tension. He had taunted the
Dink family and had accused the joint attorneys of "treachery". He
had shouted, "Look how many Armenians there are. You are all
Armenian, you all have Armenian passports."

Should Turgut be punished, the Izmir Bar Association would bar him
from his profession. (NK/EÜ/AG)