20,000 TL FINE FOR TRT DUE TO DEFAMATION OF JOURNALIST DINK

BIA Net
3-20-000-tl-fine-for-trt-due-to-defamation-of-jour nalist-dink
March 3 2010
Turkey

An Istanbul court sentenced TRT, Bey Productions Company and prime
suspect of the MaraÅ~_ massacre OkkeÅ~_ Å~^endiler to a 20,000 TL
fine in compensation for claiming killed Turkish-Armenian journalist
Hrant Dink responsible for the massacre in MaraÅ~_.

Erol ONDEROÄ~^LU hukuk@bianet.org Istabul – BÄ°A News Center03
March 2010, Wednesday The Turkish Radio and Television Corporation
(TRT) was sentenced to a monetary fine of 20,000 Turkish Lira (TL)
(approx. â~B¬ 9,525) in compensation by the Istanbul 4th Criminal
Court of First Instance on the grounds of a defamation of assassinated
Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink. TRT had broadcasted a program
about the MaraÅ~_ massacre in which prime suspect of the massacre
OkkeÅ~_ Å~^endiller held murdered journalist Dink responsible for
the events.

According to official numbers, 111 people, mostly Alevis, died in
the MaraÅ~_ Massacre from 19 to 25 December 1978.

The court sentenced TRT, the Bey Production Company and Å~^endiller
to a total of TL 20,000 in compensation on 24 February. The decision
was announced on 1 March. The reasoning of the decision will be
published in the coming days. TRT is expected to lodge an appeal
against the decision.

The documentary "Maze of the Kings" (‘Å~^ahların Labirenti’) subject
to the decision was broadcasted on TRT on 24 December 2008. The Dink
family lawyers had sued Å~^endiller and TRT officials with an initial
compensation claim of TL 40,000.

Words of the massacre suspect Å~^endiller was the prime suspect of
the massacre but was acquitted. In the program he said, "It was not
a conflict between Alevi and Sunni.

Left-wing organizations established by Hrant Dink and his friends
were involved. Hrant Dink and the organizations of his friends did it.

There were six or seven uncircumcised people among the dead bodies,
what do they have to do with Alevis or Sunnis anyhow?" These words
of Å~^endiller caused strong reactions in the country.

The Dink family lawyers filed the court case after TRT had not
broadcasted the disclaimer sent to the corporation by the lawyers.

The Media and Communication Workers Union (Haber-Sen) condemned
Å~^endiller’s invitation to the program and declared that TRT General
Director Ä°brahim Å~^ahin was to held responsible for the program.

According to Haber-Sen, Å~^endiller’s real name was OkkeÅ~_ Kenger
before he changed his surname. The union drew attention to the fact
that a case against Kenger/Å~^endiller was dropped in 1991 due to the
enforcement of the Anti-Terror Act (TMY). In the same year, Å~^endiller
entered the parliament with the Welfare Party-Nationalist Working
Party coalition. After that he moved on to the Nationalist Movement
Party (MHP). Haber-Sen furthermore reminded that later on Å~^endiller
founded the Great Union Party (BBP) together with BBP leader Muhsin
Yazicioglu. Both co-founders were seen on a photograph together with
the murderer suspects of the Hrant Dink assassination.