Interior Ministry ‘Passes Judgements’ on Akhanlı, Interpol Removes Red Notice

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The Ministry of Interior has responded to the European politicians who have deemed the detention of writer and rights advocate Doğan Akhanlı to be a "misuse of Interpol".

In the written statement issued by the Ministerial Press Center, Akhanlı was accused of "committing murder and robbery" even though no definitive verdict has been rendered for Akhanlı. Akhanlı was acquitted of the charges and the acquittal was reversed by the Supreme Court.

The Ministry also alleged that Akhanlı was released following the statement by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, but Akhanlı had already been released when Merkel issued the statement concerning the misuse.

In the minister's statement, it was also mentioned that the message they received from the Interpol Secretary General included the information that the red notice issued for Akhanlı was temporarily removed.

Doğan Akhanlı case

A criminal case was brought against writer Doğan Akhanlı on accusations that he ordered a burglary of an exchange office in Eminönü in 1989, and an aggravated lifetime sentence was demanded for him.

A search warrant was issued for Akhanlı, who had started to reside in Germany in 1991.

Akhanlı was arrested on August 10, 2010 in Turkey when he came to visit his sick father for one last time.

After 113 days of imprisonment, he was released on December 8, 2010, but his father lost his life while he was in prison.

The İstanbul 11th Heavy Penal Court ordered Akhanlı's acquittal in an October 12, 2011 hearing.

The Supreme Court reversed the acquittal decision on the grounds that "the defendant was a member of a terror organization at the time of the crime" and because "Article 146/1 of the former Turkish Penal Court needs to be discussed".

Following this verdict, this first hearing was held at the 11th Heavy Penal Court at the Çağlayan Courthouse in İstanbul. His lawyers asked for acquittal. The court ordered a "red notice" warrant for Akhanlı so that he could be heard in court.. After seven years, Akhanlı was detained in Spain on Saturday.

Who is Doğan Akhanlı?

Akhanlı was born in the Artvin district of Şavşat in 1957. He was captured in 1985 in the wake of the September 12 coup while he was a student in the. He was severely tortured. He served over two years in a military prison. He worked as waiter and fisherperson. So that he would not go to prison again, he went to Germany in 1991.

Akhanlı has researched topics such as genocide in the 20th century, and he has written novels about massacres of Jews and Armenians. (AS/TK)