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The İstanbul 14th Heavy Penal Court pronounced its ruling on nine defendants whose files were separated from the main trial of Agos newspaper Editor-in-Chief Hrant Dink murder on July 17, 2019.
Accordingly, contrary to the first ruling of "there was no organization", the court concluded that "it was an organized crime" and sentenced seven defendants to prison, ranging from 99 years, 6 months to 2 years, 9 months.
While Salih Hacısalihoğlu and Osman Hayal have been acquitted, Erhan Tuncel has been sentenced to 99 years, 6 months in prison, Ogün Samast to 2 years, 6 months, Yasin Hayal to 7 years, 6 months, Zeynel Abidin Yavuz to 14 years, 22 days and Tuncay Uzundal has been sentenced to 16 years, 10 months, 15 days in prison in relation with Hrant Dink murder.
As reported by Uygar Gültekin from Agos newspaper, the lawyers of Dink family have appealed to the Supreme Court of Appeals against this verdict.
Lawyer Hakan Bakırcıoğlu made a statement on behalf of the intervening party at court and advocated that the defendants should be convicted of "membership of an armed terrorist organization", rather than "membership of an illegal criminal organization."
Bakırcıoğlu indicated that the defendants "attempted to overthrow the constitutional order by establishing an organization."
'The links have not been completely revealed'
Speaking to Agos, Bakırcıoğlu stated the following in brief:
"Though there was a clear link between the period leading up to the murder and the murder itself, the period leading up to the murder has not been effectively investigated. The links of the structure that committed the murder have not been completely revealed. No indictment has been filed against some of the state officials who openly involved in Dink murder.
"For that reason, a complete trial was not held in the concluded case heard by the 14th Heavy Penal Court and, in the event that the related shortcomings will prevail in the other case heard by the same court, no complete trial will be held in that case as well.
"A complete trial will only be possible if the Constitutional Court rules for a violation of right in our complaint about a lack of effective investigation dated May 27, 2016, the İstanbul Prosecutor's Office conducts an effective investigation, the top figures and links of the organization are revealed and an indictment is filed against the state officials, against whom no indictment has been brought despite the existence of evidence.
'They should have been convicted of 'membership of an armed terrorist organization'"
"When the 14th Heavy Penal Court gave its ruling for 9 people including Yasin Hayal and Erhan Tuncel on July 17, it should have been identified that the organization that committed Dink murder attempted to overthrow the constitutional order and these nine defendants were leaders or members of an armed terrorist organization, the verdict should have been given as such.
"The court did not identify or remark that the organization committed a crime against the Constitutional order or that the organization is an armed terrorist organization. Instead, it described the organization as a 'criminal organization', which is erroneous." (HA/SD)
