Arrested over threats to Hrant Dink Foundation, two defendants released

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Arrested pending trial as part of the investigation launched into the threatening emails sent to the Hrant Dink Foundation, two people were released in their first hearing in İstanbul yesterday (September 21).

Facing 7 years, 6 months to 26 years, 3 months and 2 years, 6 months to 8 years, 9 months in prison respectively one charge of "successive threats", suspects Hüseyin Ateş and Ersin Başkan had their first hearing at the İstanbul 56th Penal Court of First Instance in Çağlayan.

As reported by the Agos newspaper, yesterday's hearing was attended by complainant Fethiye Çelik's attorney Ümre Deniz Tuna Dink and complainants' attorneys Hakan Bakırcıoğlu, Sabuh Aslangil and Fatma Sağlam. The defendants were represented by the attorneys appointed as per the Code of Criminal Procedure (CMK).

Defendants Hüseyin Ateş and Ersin Başkan were heard by the court board first. While Başkan demanded his acquittal, claiming that his messages were intended as a reaction, Ateş said that he was disturbed by the videos about the Karabagh that he had watched, he did not know what to do, he came across statements on the Internet, he called the Hrant Dink Foundation to inform them, but no one answered the phone and he wrote an email in response. Both defendants requested their release.

Complainant Çetin's attorney Tuna Çelik asked defendant Hüseyin Ateş what statements he saw on the Internet and where he found the picture of Fethiye Çetin. Ateş said that he came across it on Instagram.

Links of defendants investigated

Hakan Bakırcıoğlu, one of the attorneys of the complainants, asked whether the investigation into possible links between the defendants had been added to the file. Judges answered that the investigation into this issue was being conducted as part of a seperate file.

Attorney Bakırcıoğlu noted that they, as the aggrieved party, could make new statements depending on the information to be provided by the prosecutor's office regarding the links between the defendants.

The attorney also stressed that similar threats were received before journalist Hrant Dink was assassinated on January 19, 2007 and said that they lodged a complaint against the defendants. The other attorneys of defendants also reiterated that they filed a complaint against the defendants.

AttorneyTuna Dink underlined that a lawyer was also threatened and noted that it needed to be considered a threat targeting a judge as required by the law. "We will make an additional statement about this," Tuna Dink said.

Next hearing to be held on February 24

Hüseyin Ateş, one of the defendants, said that when he was in prison, he learned that the Hrant Dink Foundation did good work and he was ready to apologize. He also said that he sent letters of apology to Fethiye Çetin.

The court has ruled that the defendants shall be released pending trial. The file will also be sent to the conciliation board as it is a case of threat.

While the Forensic Medicine Institution will also be asked whether the defendants are of sound mind, the next hearing will be held on February 24.

What happened?

On May 29, Hrant Dink Foundation released a written statement for the press and announced that Rakel Dink, the wife of late journalist Hrant Dink, and the attorneys of the foundation received death threats via email on May 27 and 28. The foundation indicated that it notified Şişli District Security Directorate and İstanbul Governor's Office of the threats.

"The email included the phrase 'We may turn up one night, when you least expect it', a slogan used boastfully in certain circles, and the very same slogan we were well used to hearing before Hrant Dink was so publicly assassinated, and with the knowledge of official bodies, on 19 January 2007. The threat accuses the Hrant Dink Foundation of telling 'tales of fraternity', demands us to leave the country and threatens Rakel Dink and the foundation's lawyer with death," the statement read.

Süleyman Soylu, the Minister of Interior, made a brief statement about the issue on his Twitter account one day later, on May 30, and announced that the suspect who sent the threatening mails in question was caught.

Later in the day, it was announced that H.A. (25) was taken into custody in the district of Selçuk in Turkey's central anatolian province of Konya.

Taken to İstanbul by the Security Department teams, H.A. has been arrested on charge of "repetitive threats with anonymous letters or special signs."

After the incident, Fethiye Çetin, an attorney of Hrant Dink Foundation, spoke to bianet about the issue and said that the foundation received another threatening message at the night of May 31.

As part of an ex officio investigation launched by the İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, suspect E.B. was detained in İstanbul on June 1 for having allegedly sent the second threatening message to the foundation. He was also arrested one day later. (EKN/SD)