Court in Istanbul released 4 of 18 suspects implicated in Hrant Dink's murder

PanARMENIAN.Net - A court in Istanbul, which yesterday started the trial on the murder case of Hrant Dink, editor-in-chief of 'Agos' Armenian-Turkish bilingual, has decided to broaden the investigation to consider allegations of official negligence. After a 12-hour hearing, the court released four of the 18 suspects. The judge also decided to postpone the hearing till October 1. "Police departments of Istanbul and Trabzone are responsible for critically serious mistakes and in fact for deliberate negligence," lawyer of the Dink Family Ergin Cinmen stated.



Two of the key suspects, Yasin Hayal and Erhan Tuncel, claimed they worked for the security forces. Tuncel, who is suspected of masterminding the killing, reportedly told the court that he was paid by police for gathering intelligence The court decided to ask police to provide a list of Tuncel's telephone calls. However, there has been no evidence that directly implicates any police or government official in the slaying of Hrant Dink outside his office, AP reports.



Yesterday eighteen suspects went on trial in Istanbul for the murder of Hrant Dink. Since the main culprit 17-year-old Ogun Samast is a minor, the trial is closed to the public. According to the investigation, Ogun Samast belonged to a terrorist organization. He gunned down the 53-year-old journalist in Istanbul near the editorial house of his 'Agos' newspaper.