European Court Ruling Shouldn’t be End of Efforts for Justice for Dink: Human Rights Watch

Turkish authorities should redouble their efforts to bring to justice all those involved in the killing of Hrant Dink, Human Rights Watch said on Sept. 16, following a ruling on September 14, 2010, of the European Court of Human Rights.  The court ruled that Turkey should have, but failed to, take steps to protect Dink, the prominent Armenian-Turkish journalist, and failed to conduct an effective investigation into his murder in January 2007. The European Court ordered the government to pay his family €105,000 in damages.

“The European Court’s damning verdict should not be the end of efforts to deliver justice for Hrant Dink’s murder,” said Emma Sinclair-Webb, Turkey researcher at Human Rights Watch. “Turkey now has an unambiguous duty to reopen the investigation and cast the net wider than those currently on trial. Both legal obligations and justice require addressing state negligence and possible collusion in the killing.”

Following the ruling on the Dink case, however, the Foreign Affairs Ministry stated that Turkey would not appeal the decision and that it would take all possible steps to implement the ruling and take measures to prevent future violations.

“The initial response of the Turkish government to the ruling is a positive change,”  Sinclair-Webb said. “If Ankara is serious about implementing the ruling, it needs to end restrictions on free speech by repealing restrictive laws and protect the right to speak out.”