The European Court of Human Rights found Turkey guilty of failing "in their duty to protect the life and freedom of expression" of Hrant Dink. The court ruled that Turkey should pay damages of 100,000 euros to Dink's wife and his children. An additional 5000-euros were awarded to Dink's brother and the court ordered Turkey to pay 28,595 euros to the applicants for costs and expenses. The Court unanimously found that Turkey had committed two violations of Article 2 (right to life - lack of an effective investigation), a violation of Article 10 (freedom of expression) and a violation of Article 13 (right to an effective remedy) in conjunction with Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry announced that it would not appeal the case at the European court. In its statement, the ministry said precautions would be taken to prevent similar breaches of rights in the future. Turkey's defense at the European court attracted widespread criticism after it drew parallel's between neo-Nazism and Dink's perspectives. The defense also said Dink did not ask for personal protection, a fact it suggested meant he was not under threat. The court decided that since Turkey's highest criminal court had upheld a ruling that Dink had denigrated Turkish identity shortly before his death, it made him a target for extreme nationalists and Turkey failed to protect him.
Dink was shot dead by an ultra-nationalist teenager outside the offices of the Agos newspaper in Istanbul in January 2007. The investigation into his murder has stalled as the suspected perpetrator and his immediate accomplices have been put on trial, but those who masterminded the plot to kill him have yet to be revealed.
Fethiye Cetin, a lawyer representing the family of Hrant Dink, has said the European Court of Human Rights' (ECHR) ruling is proof that Dink did not insult Turkishness. Cetin said "that if the Dink murder had been solved 'dark forces within the state" would have come to light." "The state's black box will be opened. We have an opportunity from now on to restart the investigations and continue to work to find Dink's murderer."
Rober Koptas, the new editor-in-chief of Agos, pointed out that Dink would be 56 years old on Sept. 15 if he were alive. "The ECHR's ruling is the result of Dink's application to the court eight days before he died because he had exhausted all legal channels in Turkey. He was trying to clear the stain that claimed 'he insulted Turkishness.' This was very important for him. Unfortunately, the Turkish courts wouldn't do what was necessary and ruled in a way that resulted in Dink being targeted," he said.
Sources:
California Courier (September 23, 2010). Turkey found guilty by European court.
Comert, Yesim (September 16, 2010). Top European court fines Turkey in journalists death. CNN.com http://articles.cnn.com/2010-09-14/world/turkey.court.fine_1_turkish-identity-turkey-turkish-armenian-journalist-hrant?_s=PM:WORLD
Today's Zaman
http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=221708
The Turkish Foreign Ministry announced that it would not appeal the case at the European court. In its statement, the ministry said precautions would be taken to prevent similar breaches of rights in the future. Turkey's defense at the European court attracted widespread criticism after it drew parallel's between neo-Nazism and Dink's perspectives. The defense also said Dink did not ask for personal protection, a fact it suggested meant he was not under threat. The court decided that since Turkey's highest criminal court had upheld a ruling that Dink had denigrated Turkish identity shortly before his death, it made him a target for extreme nationalists and Turkey failed to protect him.
Dink was shot dead by an ultra-nationalist teenager outside the offices of the Agos newspaper in Istanbul in January 2007. The investigation into his murder has stalled as the suspected perpetrator and his immediate accomplices have been put on trial, but those who masterminded the plot to kill him have yet to be revealed.
Fethiye Cetin, a lawyer representing the family of Hrant Dink, has said the European Court of Human Rights' (ECHR) ruling is proof that Dink did not insult Turkishness. Cetin said "that if the Dink murder had been solved 'dark forces within the state" would have come to light." "The state's black box will be opened. We have an opportunity from now on to restart the investigations and continue to work to find Dink's murderer."
Rober Koptas, the new editor-in-chief of Agos, pointed out that Dink would be 56 years old on Sept. 15 if he were alive. "The ECHR's ruling is the result of Dink's application to the court eight days before he died because he had exhausted all legal channels in Turkey. He was trying to clear the stain that claimed 'he insulted Turkishness.' This was very important for him. Unfortunately, the Turkish courts wouldn't do what was necessary and ruled in a way that resulted in Dink being targeted," he said.
Sources:
California Courier (September 23, 2010). Turkey found guilty by European court.
Comert, Yesim (September 16, 2010). Top European court fines Turkey in journalists death. CNN.com http://articles.cnn.com/2010-09-14/world/turkey.court.fine_1_turkish-identity-turkey-turkish-armenian-journalist-hrant?_s=PM:WORLD
Today's Zaman
http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=221708
