CLAUDIA ROTH: PUNISHING DINK MURDERER JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG

PanARMENIAN.Net
05.10.2007 15:58 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Capturing and punishing the teenager who shot
Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink would only eliminate the
"tip of an iceberg," Claudia Roth, a German politician has said,
calling for a thorough investigation into the murder and removal of
the infamous Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK), under which
Dink had faced trial for "insulting Turkishness."

Claudia Roth said her presence at the second hearing of the Dink murder
trial earlier this week was first of all "a matter of solidarity to
support his family and friends."

Beyond that, she said "it was a political signal. We have to show
that we will not forget what happened.

Europe is closely watching how the investigation proceeds and takes
this as a first test for the government to show how serious they
really take their promises."

Roth, co-chairperson of the German Alliance ’90/Green Party and
deputy chair of the German-Turkish Parliamentary Friendship Group,
was in Turkey to attend the trial and meet with Turkish leaders,
including President Abdullah Gul and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan, after the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) was
re-elected to power in the July 22 elections.

Roth is convinced that a "deep state" – referring to shadowy elements
of the state cooperating with criminal gangs in order to "protect
the interests of the state" – was involved in the crime, citing media
reports that showed police officials in Samast’s hometown of Trabzon
were aware of the crime long before it took place. "The ‘deep state’
is not just a conspiracy theory, but [it] really exists. Turkish
security institutions and judicial apparatuses need to be cleansed
of such elements by someone who will act in this task decisively and
adamantly," she said.

"Otherwise it will undermine this country one day."

According to the German politician, if there is any positive thing
about the Dink murder, it is that it showed removal of Article 301 of
the TCK is now a matter of urgency. Roth, after meeting with Prime
Minister Erdogan on Wednesday evening, said he told her Article 301
would be changed.

"Turkey has to understand that freedom of speech and press is one
of the most urgent preconditions for any democratic society and a
developing civility," she said, emphasizing that the government has
no excuse after its election victory on July 22 and the election of
Gul as president in August. "With the government majority and the
presidency in one hand, it is time now to prove the true will to bring
the necessary and essential reforms," she remarked, Zaman reports.

Agos bilingual newspaper editor-in-chief, Hrant Dink was gunned outside
his newspaper office in Istanbul by 17-year-old Ogun Samast on 19
January 2007. After two court session four suspects were released. The
next session is due in 11 February 2008.