Hrant Dink applied to police for permission to carry a gun but was rejected

PanARMENIAN.Net - Hrant Dink, the prominent Turkish-Armenian journalist who was shot to death in 2007, had applied for permission to carry a gun after receiving threats. However, officials turned down his request, said a police informant with an Armenian name, according to a report issued by the parliamentary subcommission examining Dink's murder.



An important detail, not previously mentioned, was revealed in the report by the parliamentary subcommission, daily Hürriyet wrote. An individual, who was believed to be from the close circle Dink traveled in, is thought to have Armenian roots because of his name and is believed to have been following Dink. He has now been identified in the report as a police informer. This information was obtained from a report by inspectors Sukru Yildiz and Mehmet Ali Ozkilinc, who had investigated possible official negligence in Dink's murder. The informer was referred to as H.A.



Dink had sought a licensed gun but did not receive permission, the informer, H.A., said, according to the report. The informer also said he did not know to which authority Dink complained about not receiving permission. Erdal Dogan, the lawyer representing Dink's family, said it was also revealed that Dink was aware that he was being pursued. "An individual who was saying that he is under threat applied for a gun and he was rejected, this violates human rights," Dogan said.



Orhan Dink, brother of Hrant Dink, said of the informer, "This person could be Armenian, or he could be a person with an Armenian name." Orhan Dink also said that the information about his brother requesting a gun was accurate. However, inspectors Yildiz and Ozkilinc, in their report, stated no application from Dink for a gun had been received.



An official, whose name was not identified, said the word "informer" might mean supporting intelligence personnel and also said during administrative inquiries inspectors talk to officials and not civilians, Hurriyet reports.