Erhan Tuncel, suspect in Dink trial, brought to courthouse for testimony
16:29 30.11.2013
Erhan Tuncel, who was previously acquitted of all charges related to
the 2007 killing of Hrant Dink, the late editor-in-chief of the
Turkish-Armenian weekly Agos, was brought to an Istanbul courthouse on
Friday to testify, Today’s Zaman reports.
The Istanbul 14th High Criminal Court, which has started a retrial in
the Dink case, issued an arrest warrant for Tuncel in September, and
he was detained by police on Oct. 24.
TheUstanbul court launched the new trial after the Supreme Court of
Appeals in May overturned the court’s ruling of Jan. 17, 2012, in
which it dismissed the involvement of an organized criminal network in
the murder.
Tuncel, who worked as an informant for the Trabzon Police Department,
was sentenced to 10 years in prison for his role in the 2004 bombing
of a McDonald’s restaurant in the Black Sea city of Trabzon but was
acquitted of all charges regarding the Dink murder, including
prosecutors’ claims in the first trial that he was the one who ordered
Yasin Hayal, the man who was given a life sentence for soliciting
Dink’s shooter, to murder him.
Dink’s lawyers earlier said the Supreme Court of Appeals’ 9th Criminal
Chamber had indicated in its May decision that Tuncel may have played
a crucial role in the murder of Dink.
Hayal and Tuncel, along with all other defendants, were acquitted of
charges of membership in a terrorist organization in the local court’s
ruling.
Dink was shot and killed in broad daylight on Jan. 19, 2007, by an
ultranationalist teenager outside the offices of his newspaper in
Ä°stanbul. Evidence discovered since then has led to claims that the
murder was linked to the `deep state,’ a term used in reference to a
shady group of military and civilian bureaucrats believed to have
links to criminal elements.
In an interview with the Star daily last month, Tuncel accused the
gendarmerie of having a `big role’ in the murder of the Armenian
journalist.
Prosecutor Muammer AkkaÅ?, who is supervising the investigation, asked
that Tuncel be brought to the Istanbul Courthouse in ÇaÄ?layan. The
next hearing of the case will be on Dec. 3. The prosecutors first
heard testimony from Ogün Samast, who pulled the trigger and killed
Dink.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Disclaimer: This article was contributed and translated into English by Emil Lazarian. While we strive for quality, the views and accuracy of the content remain the responsibility of the contributor. Please verify all facts independently before reposting or citing.
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