Judge of Dink Trial Arrested

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İstanbul 14th Special Court former president Rüstem Eryılmaz, who made the first decision in Hrant Dink assassination case has been arrested as part of the investigation launched into the Gülen Community probe.

According to Agos weekly’s report, Mustafa Başer from the same committee was arrested on May 1, 2015. There are arrest warrants for the other member judge Hadi Çağdır since July 19, 2016 and for prosecutor Hikmet Usta since July 16.

Eryılmaz: There is organization but no evidence

The Dink case committee had sparked a debate with decision of “There is no organization” and Eryılmaz had stated to a journalist on the phone that “There is an organization but there is no evidence. We ruled release due to lack of evidence”.

Usta: The organization is Ergenekon

Prosecutor Hikmet Usta in his petition of appeal had said, “There are both an organization and evidence, even more than enough”. The Prosecutor Usta alleging that Ergenekon organization’s Trabzon cell killed Hrant Dink, had said that the court went against the law by overlooking the evidence and returning a verdict of not guilty.

The Supreme Court had reversed the verdict

The Supreme Court 9th Penal Chamber had reversed the judgement of İstanbul 14h Heavy Penal Court’s verdict that “There is no organization” on May 15, 2015 by stating that the suspects have to receive penalty on charge of “forming an organization with the purpose of committing crime”.

The High Court had approved the aggravated life imprisonment imposed on Yasin Hayal by changing it from “instigating the murder” to “participating in the murder”.

Who is Rüstem Eryılmaz

The Judge Eryılmaz, who was the head of the committee of the Hrant Dink trial heard at the İstanbul 14th Heavy Penal Court in January 2012 had found only Ogün Samast and Yasin Hayal guilty and released all the other suspects on the basis that “no organization could be found”. The figures such as Erhan Tuncel, Osman Hayal were released after this decision.

The Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK) had approved the demand in February 2012 that an investigation be launched into İstanbul 14th Heavy Penal Court President Rüstem Eryılmaz and the case’s prosecutor Hikmet Usta.

Eryılmaz was appointed to Urfa as judge ripped from previous seats in January 2015. (EA/TK)