Dink Trial Court Took Eight Hearings to Stop Racist Lawyer
Following the eighth hearing in the Hrant Dink murder trial, joint attorney Deniz Tuna evaluated the trial thus:
“The case is not going very well. At yesterday’s hearing Erhan Tuncel (an accused said to have worked as a police informant) announced that he would explain a lot, but then he did not. The court has made some decisions concerning the (illegal ultranationalist) Ergenekon organisation. If any connections are made, perhaps there will be some developments. But at this stage it is difficult to say anything positive.”
Racist and insulting press statement
At the latest hearing at Istanbul’s 14th Heavy Penal Court in Beşiktaş, defence lawyer Fuat Turgut insulted the joint attorneys, as well as handing out a text to journalists in which he insulted Hrant Dink and the group of intellectuals demanding justice in the case. The text was littered with racist comments. Because Fuat Turgut is a suspect in the ongoing Ergenekon trial, the Dink court has now decided that he will not be representing its defendants anymore.
Turgut was taken into custody as part of the Ergenekon investigation on 22 January 2008, and then released.
Press statement was the last drop
Tuna commented on the court’s decision:
“Ever since the court case started, Turgut has been carrying on like this, both in the court room and outside. He was always using denigrating, insulting and racist expression. It seemed as if he had only come for provocation. At most hearings he spent more time defending his racist propaganda than his clients.”
Because these expressions went beyond the legal right to defence, so Tuna, the joint attorneys had objected to Turgut’s behaviour from the start and appealed to the court on several occasions.
“Yesterday the court’s patience was tried too far. Up to now, they have tried to control him by taking him out of the court room.”
Hayal brothers need new lawyer
Tuna pointed out that the press statement handed out by Turgut contained open racism, death threats, and an insult to a person’s memory. She added that the court would be taking action following Article 151/3 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
“This article bans lawyers from representing defendants if they are being tried under similar charges. The judge is now applying this article and has filed a complaint about Turgut with the Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office about Turguts written press statement. From now one, Turgut will not be in court. Yasin and Osman Hayal will either have to find a new lawyer or demand one from the bar.”
The next hearing is on 20 April. (BÇ/AG)