14th High Criminal Court of Istanbul denied the demands that the report about police informant Erhan Tuncel, who is on trial as one of the instigators of the murder of Hrant Dink, without any censorship and that a lawsuit be filed against the Telecommunications Directorship (TB) for neglecting its duty.

The seventh hearing of Hrant Dink’s murder ended at 20:30 yesterday, lasting eight hours.

Lawyers of Dink’s family demanded that the report be examined at the presence of the judge, but their request was denied by the court, which had only found the fifteen pages of the report relevant for the case.

According to the report, “Tuncel was taken in as an assistant intelligence staff on Novembr 17, 2004 to keep Yasin Hayal’s actions  under control and to follow the groups traveling to places like Chechnya to fight.”

The report also states that the connection with Tuncel was severed on November 23, 2006, since he was found undependable.

Next hearing three and a half months later

Hearing the testimonies of director of Trabzon Intelligence Bureau Ercan Demir and director of Trabzon Intelligence Branch Engin Dinç, both of whom were pointed out as witnesses, the court will continue the trial on January 26, 2009.

The two police officers will give their statements again 

Following the objection by the lawyers of Dink’s family that the court had taken the statements of some of the police officers without them, police officers Metin Gündoğdu and Muhittin Zenit will give their statements again, while the lawyers of Dink’s family are present. 

Gündoğdu will give his statement at the High Criminal Court of Ordu and Zenit will give his statement at the High Criminal Court of Bayburt. 

The court asked for both files 

The court decided to keep Ogün Samast, Yasin Hayal, Erhan Tuncel, Zeynel Abidin Yavuz, Ersin Yolcu, Ahmet İskender, Tuncay Uzundal and Mustafa Öztürk arrested. It also asked for the files of the McDonald’s Bombing of 2004 and the gendarmerie officials who are on trial at Trabzon for neglect in the murder of Hrant Dink. (EÖ/EÜ/TB)