Meltem AKYOL
İstanbul

A verdict was made in the case of the murder of Agos Newspaper Editor-in-Chief Hrant Dink 14 years ago.

In the case where 37 people were acquitted, 26 people were imprisoned.

The files of 13 defendants, including Fetullah Gülen, Prosecutor Zekeriya Öz and Zaman Newspaper Editor-in-Chief Ekrem Dumanlı, were separated.

Istanbul Police Director Celalettin Cerrah, Istanbul Intelligence Branch Manager Ahmet İlhan Güler, Trabzon Police Intelligence Branch Manager Engin Dinç, Trabzon Police Chief Reşat Altay and former Head of Intelligence Department Sabri Uzun did not receive any sentences.

According to the court, "The murder was committed in line with FETÖ's purposes".

The Dink Family’s lawyers pointed out that the decision was 'incomplete and wrong' and said, "This decision, which did not fully reveal the murder of Hrant Dink, resulted in the acquittal of many people who were responsible for the murder and did not make a judgment on those responsible, will also be overturned". Drawing attention to the fact that the veil of secrets of the murder has not been lifted, Hrant's Friends said, "Those who plotted the kill should be prosecuted. This case will not end until we say it's over”.

A DECISION HAS BEEN MADE AFTER 14 YEARS, ON THE 131TH HEARING

14 years ago, Hrant Dink was killed in an armed attack in front of his newspaper Agos. The decision was announced 14 years later. The final words of the defendants were received.

YILMAZER: I WILL NOT SAY MY LAST WORDS

At the 14th High Criminal Court, the first words of the detained defendants were taken. Almost all of the detained defendants denied the accusations, argued that they were plotted and demanded acquittal. Ali Fuat Yılmazer, retired Istanbul Intelligence Branch Manager, who was accused of Gulenism, said, “I don't think your court is conducting an independent and fair trial. Whenever there is an independent trial, then I will say my last words," he said.

GÜN: I DO NOT REGRET REPORTING THE NEWS

FOX TV News Director Ercan Gün said, “I am on trial for a news report, do I regret reporting the news? I do not. Journalism is not a crime” he said.

NOBODY ACCEPTED A CRIME

Former Trabzon Police Chief and Intelligence Department Head Ramazan Akyürek said, “Some of the public officials who did not fulfill their duties are pending trial without arrest, some were never put on trial. I have done my duty” and demanded acquittal.

"I was arrested again with a false statement" said Okan Şimşek, Trabzon Gendarmerie Intelligence Officer at the time.

Muhittin Zenit, officer of the Trabzon Police Intelligence Branch of the period, said that he was given the information that "Hrant Dink shall be killed no matter what" and that he was a victim.

THOSE WHO KNEW ABOUT MURDER SAID "THERE WAS NO NEGLIGENCE"

The notice document dated 17 February 2006 and the Istanbul Police Chief Celalettin Cerrah and the Istanbul Intelligence Branch Manager of the period, who did not take any action, including the protection of Hrant Dink, despite the fact that he knew the threats against Hrant Dink and was the institution that personally monitored the demonstrations and events in front of the courthouse and Agos. Celalettin Cerrah and Ahmet İlhan Güler argued that they did not neglect their duties.

THE FILE OF 13 DEFENDANTS WERE SEPERATED

The files of 13 defendants, including Fethullah Gülen, prosecutor Zekeriya Öz, and Ekrem Dumanlı, the editor-in-chief of the Zaman newspaper which was shut down, were separated.

NO PENALTY FOR NON-SECURING PUBLIC OFFICIALS!

A verdict of acquittal was made for 37 defendants for the crimes they were on trial for.

Istanbul Police Chief Celalettin Cerrah and Istanbul Intelligence Branch Manager Ahmet İlhan Güler's accusation of "negligence of duty" was dropped due to the statute of limitations.

On February 17, 2006, Intelligence Branch Manager of the Trabzon Police Engin Dinç was notified that Hrant would be killed, and did nothing. Dinc was accused of "negligence of duty" but this was also dropped due to the statute of limitations.

Former Intelligence Department Head Sabri Uzun and Trabzon Police Chief Reşat Altay, who were accused of "negligence of duty", were acquitted of the charges of "murder due to negligence" and "destroying the official document".

AKYÜREK VE YILMAZER RECEIVE AGGRAVATED LIFE IMPRISONMENT

Former police chief Ramazan Akyürek and Ali Fuat Yılmazer received aggravated life sentences for "deliberately plotted murder" and imprisonment for "destroying of official documents".

Former Trabzon Gendarmerie Regiment Commander Ali Öz was sentenced to 28 years, and journalist Ercan Gün was sentenced to 10 years in prison for "membership in an armed terrorist organization".

CRIMINAL COMPLAINT FOR SAMAST, TUNCEL AND HAYAL

The court ruled that a criminal complaint was filed against the hitmen and instigators Zeynel Abidin Yavuz, Erhan Tuncel, Yasin Hayal, Ersin Yolcu, Ahmet İskender, Tuncay Uzundal and Ogün Samast on charges of being a member of FETO.

BAKIRCIOĞLU: THIS DECISION WILL BE DISRUPTED

Making a statement in front of the Caglayan Courthouse after the decision, Hakan Bakırcıoğlu, one of the Dink Family Lawyers, reminded that the process leading to the murder was not investigated effectively and said, “No indictment has been issued against a significant portion of the state officials who were responsible for the murder. In the investigation, it was not revealed who made the decision of the murder and through which processes the murder was committed. The decision is a decision with significant errors. Again in 2012, this court made a decision and it was reversed by the Supreme Court in 2013. This decision, which resulted in the acquittal of many people responsible for the murder and did not make a judgment on those responsible, will also be overturned. We will appeal the decision” he said.

DANZIKYAN: THE PLOTTING THAT KILLED HRANT WAS NOT EXPLAINED

Yetvart Danzikyan, Editor-in-Chief of Agos Newspaper, said, “We want the mechanism that killed Hrant to be revealed. With this decision, the mechanism that killed Hrant Dink was not fully explained. Some of those responsible have never been brought to court, some of them were acquitted,” he said.

ÖNDEROĞLU: THE PEOPLE RESPONSIBLE ARE EVIDENTLY PROTECTED

It became clear that a number of people behind-the-scenes were being protected, including those who played an instigator role during the process of murdering Hrant Dink and threatened him.

Önderoğlu underlined that unless the actors within the state are exposed, the belief that the file was first used as a means of revenge against the Ergenekon organization and now as a means of revenge against the Gulen organization will continue.

HRANT'S FRIENDS MADE AN ANNOUNCEMENT BEFORE THE TRIAL

Hrant's Friends made a press statement in front of the Istanbul Justice Palace before the hearing. Speaking, Bülent Aydın said, "The process has come all this way due to the public's pressure to enlighten this murder. For the first time in Turkey’s history, this many officials were put on trial for a political murder case. The prosecutor recently sought significant penalties for a significant number of them. If this murder was fully revealed, the mechanisms in other political murders could have also been revealed. However, we say "this case will not be over until we say it is."