Suspects deny charges in Dink murder trial

YEREVAN, JANUARY 30, ARMENPRESS. Court proceedings on the murder of Armenian-Turkish scholar and editor in chief of Agos Hrant Dink resumed on January 29 in an Istanbul court, Agos reported.

Two separate criminal cases which were launched against suspects Mehmet Ali Ozkilich and Ozkan Mumju have been merged into the Dink case. Both had been charged for affiliation to an organized crime and terror funding.

Jevat Eser, a gendarmerie officer, denied the accusations during the January 29 session.

“I’ve done everything to discover the crime. I haven’t received any information about the Dink murder case from the police”, he said.

Dink family attorney Hakan Bakirjioglu asked whether or not Eser took part in arresting Yasin Hayal, the organizer of the murder who has been sentenced to life in prison, to which Eser responded that he took part in search operations once.

Another suspect, Unsal Gyurel, again denied any wrongdoing.

Hrant Dink was murdered outside his office in 2007 in Istanbul.