Dink murder suspect reportedly traveled to Azerbaijan prior to assassination

PanARMENIAN.Net - The father of one of the suspected conspirators in the murder of journalist Hrant Dink has released new information on his son’s connections with police informants and said the real people behind the assassination must be revealed.

“We learned that my son had gone off to Azerbaijan before the murder, even though he had no passport or money,” suspected instigator Yasin Hayal’s father, Bahattin Hayal said, Hürriyet Daily News reported.

The case will never be illuminated unless police informant Erhan Tuncel’s connections are revealed in full first, he said, adding that his son was used as a pawn.

“They stayed at a luxury hotel in Akçaabat [a district in the Black Sea province of Trabzon]. My son was introduced to two persons in the hotel. Erhan Tuncel had told [him] that one of these was the Chechen chief of staff,” Bahattin Hayal said, adding that his son’s trip to the Akçaabat with Tuncel constituted yet another point that needed to be further investigated.

“I am deeply saddened by this murder. I have no courage to venture near Rakel Dink [Hrant Dink’s widow]. This case will not come to light unless Erhan Tuncel’s connections are found. The true criminals must be revealed,” he added.

Bahattin Hayal said he attempted to meet with the Dink family’s lawyers several times, and added that they had told him to convince his son to reveal the truth. However, one of Dink family’s lawyers, Bahri Belen, said he had not been previously aware of the father’s statements.

“I do not know how serious Tuncel’s statements are. I do not know whether he was specifically selected to issue such statements either. He gave us no information regarding Azerbaijan or Akçaabat,” Belen said.