TURUT TO FACE COURT

The New Anatolian / Ankara
19 September 2007

Public prosecutor filed two separate investigations regarding the video
and the song of folk singer Ismail Turut which eulogizes murderers
of Hrant Dink. Within the scope of the investigation, producers of
the video will be found and also will be examined whether the lyrics
of the song are chargeable of crime.

Ismail Turut can face prison terms up to 5 years.

Turut was quoted as saying that he does not care an investigation is
launched or not by Turkish newspapers.

He previously denied appraising the murderers of Dink who was a
prominent member of Armenian community in Turkey and the editor of
Agos newspaper, video clip shows the dead body of Dink while singer
says the verse `if a person betrays the country, he is finished off`

Nearly 5,340 people watched the three-minute video clip in the
YouTube internet site. Broadcast of the song’s video clip in the
YouTube internet site created harsh reaction in Turkey. It was
claimed that the video clip was shot by an extreme nationalist group
in Australia. Dink’s family is getting ready to file a lawsuit. The
YouTube stopped broadcasting the video clip.

Hrant Dink was assassinated in Istanbul in January 2007, by Ogun
Samast, a 17-year old Turkish nationalist. While Samast has since
been taken into custody, pictures of the alleged assassin flanked by
smiling Turkish police and gendarmerie, posing with the killer in
front of the Turkish flag, have since surfaced. The photos created
a scandal in Turkey, prompting a spate of investigations and the
removal from office of those involved. Yasin Hayal was also claimed
to be identifiable as the one actually pulling the trigger.

Turut’s song mentioned the names of both Ogun Samast and Yasin Hayal
and went on to say that there will be others who would follow in the
footsteps of Ogun and Yasin.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress