By Adonia Agayan

YEREVAN, January 20 — Turkish President Abdullah Gul said the fair and transparent court decision on the murder case of Hrant, Turkish journalist of Armenian origin, is but a serious challenge for Turkey.

“The fair and transparent court decision is especially essential for us, because it refers to one of our non-Muslim citizens,” he said.

He also reminded that the lawyers and prosecutors participating in the examination of the case have already appealed against the court decision and the final verdict will be delivered by the Supreme Court of Appeal. “I hope the final verdict will be passed in the near future,” he said.

To remind the trial regarding the murder of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink was decided at the 25th hearing of the case on January 17. Hrant Dink, editor-in-chief of the Armenian Agos newspaper at the time, was murdered in front of his office on January 19, 2007.

All defendants were acquitted of charges of membership of a criminal organization.
Yasin Hayal was sentenced to life imprisonment on charges of instigation to premeditated murder.

Osman Hayal was acquitted of charges of homicide and of membership of a criminal organization.

Erhan Tuncel was acquitted of charges of membership of an armed terrorist organization and of instigation to homicide.

Earlier Hrant Dink’s juvenile murderer Ogun Samast received 22 years and 10 months in jail. Nevertheless, Dink’s lawyers claim he was nothing but a pawn in the hands of an influential nationalistic group. It’s also noteworthy that human rights organization Amnesty International stated that Turkish authorities have not completely investigated the murder.

Yerevan Report