ANKARA: Prime Ministry Inspectors To Investigate Dink Murder

PRIME MINISTRY INSPECTORS TO INVESTIGATE DINK MURDER

Today’s Zaman
Feb 27 2008
Turkey

A delegation from the Prime Ministry arrived yesterday in the northern
city of Trabzon to carry out an investigation into the murder of
Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink.

Dink was gunned down outside his Istanbul office on Jan. 19, 2007 by
an ultra-nationalist teenager from Trabzon. In addition to the young
man, 18 other suspects are facing trial for having plotted to have
Dink murdered.

However, serious allegations of police negligence ahead of the murder
as well as of a cover-up during the investigation have been brought
against officials by individuals involved as co-plaintiffs in the case.

Prime Ministry Chief Inspector Mehmet Akýn and inspectors Ayþegul
Genc and Tuðce Tumer have already started working on the case.

Allegations include that the police were in the know about the plot
but did not take the necessary precautions to save Dink’s life. One of
the 19 suspects is a former police informant who gathered intelligence
for the Trabzon police.

Co-plaintiffs, rights groups and Dink’s family say that the murder
has not been properly investigated. The co-plaintiff lawyers say some
of the evidence has been hidden or destroyed.

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