LAWYERS OF THE FAMILY OF KILLED JOURNALIST DINK SUE DEPUTY GOVERNOR

BIAnet.org
/minorities/121795-lawyers-of-the-family-of-killed -journalist-dink-sue-deputy-governor
May 6 2010
Turkey

The lawyers of the murder case of Turkish-Armenian journalist Dink
sue Istanbul Deputy Governor Guran because he did not let the lawyers
have a copy of the inspectors’ preliminary investigation report. The
coming hearing of the Dink murder case is on 10 May.

Erol ONDEROÄ~^LU hukuk@bianet.org Istanbul – BIA News Center06 May
2010, Thursday The lawyers of the family of murdered Turkish-Armenian
journalist Hrant Dink filed a criminal complaint against Istanbul
Deputy Governor Mustafa Guran because he refused to hand them a
copy of attachments of the report regarding the murder. Dink, then
editor-in-chief of the Armenian Agos newspaper, was shot in front of
his office in Istanbul on 19 January 2007.

Joint attorney Fethiye Cetin said that they applied to the Istanbul
Public Chief Prosecution for an investigation related to allegations of
"misconduct in office" and that they requested to launch a trial.

The coming hearing in the murder case will be held on 10 May. On the
same day, the "Friends of Hrant" will come together once more at the
BeÅ~_iktaÅ~_ Pier in Istanbul to call for justice.

The Hrant Dink Murder Monitoring Group held a press conference in
Istanbul’s popular district of Cihangir yesterday (5 May) and informed
journalists about the latest developments of the case.

Full access to preliminary investigation report denied Rakel Dink,
the widow of killed journalist Hrant Dink, indicated on 25 April
2007 that the investigation into the murder lacked directions and
was insufficient. She had urged Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
to appoint the Prime Ministry Inspection Board for an efficient
investigation into the murder, including preliminary events leading
up to the incident, planning and the time after the murder.

Dink had demanded in particular to extend the investigation and
include the Police, the National Intelligence Agency (MIT), gendarmerie
officials, the Great Union Party and its youth organization.

Thereupon, the appointed inspectors had prepared a preliminary
investigation report by 10 October 2008.

Since the report revealed allegations of ‘negligence’, Prime Minister
Erdogan gave his approval for the inspectors of the Ministry of the
Interior to launch an investigation into 19 police officers, among
them President of the Police Intelligence Department Ramazan Akyurek.

The Dink family lawyers applied to the Istanbul Governorship in
order to obtain a copy of the attachments of the report. However, the
request was dismissed by Istanbul Deputy Governor Guran two days later.

The lawyers stated that they have the right to be informed about
the contents of the file they have been denied access to and that a
disadvantageous situation has been created for them regarding a fair
trial and a complete and efficient investigation. They furthermore
put forward that their right to present complete and accurate claims
and objections was restricted.

"Former Head of Intelligence Department can be heard as witness"
Lawyer Cetin indicated that the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR)
merged the five different cases being tried separately in Turkey into
one joint case. She said that in respect to the latest developments
and the new evidence the case should be investigated again. Former
Head of Intelligence Department Sabri Uzun could be heard as a
witness and with the issued permit decision a new investigation can
be launched into former Istanbul Chief of Police Celalettin Cerrah
and Intelligence Branch Deputy Manager Bulent Köksal.

Footage of the murder can be restored The Police apparently stated
that the disk that contained footage of the murder could not be
restored. Cetin however explained that there are ways to save the
records on the disc, "An institution in the US said that they are
able to restore the destroyed data on the disc.

Additionally, we sent the footage to the Scientific and Technological
Research Council of Turkey (TUBÄ°TAK)". (BT/TK/VK)