Epress.am News from Armenia
Amnesty International has again called on the Turkish authorities to investigate alleged collusion and negligence by state officials in the 2007 killing of Turkish journalist of Armenian origin and human rights activist Hrant Dink, after one man was sentenced to nearly 23 years in prison for his murder.
Ogün Samast was sentenced by an Istanbul Children’s Court on Monday. He was initially given a life sentence but the term was commuted because he was a minor at the time of the murder. Eighteen other people are currently on trial for their involvement in the murder.
“While the sentencing of Ogün Samast is welcome news, he is just one of the people responsible for Hrant Dink’s murder. The authorities must investigate all the circumstances around his death and bring everyone responsible to justice, whatever their position of power,” said Andrew Gardner Amnesty International’s expert on Turkey.
“The murder of Hrant Dink came after he was prosecuted by the Turkish authorities for his writings on the identity of Turkish citizens of Armenian origin. His murder was apparently committed with the tacit agreement of elements within the Turkish law enforcement agencies. This cannot go unpunished.”
In September 2010, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that the Turkish authorities had failed to act on information they received that could have prevented Hrant Dink’s murder and had failed to investigate the role of state officials in his death.
In June 2011, Colonel Ali Öz and seven other military personnel were convicted of negligence for their failure to relay information regarding the plot to kill Hrant Dink which could have prevented the murder.