Turkey court sentences 7 over Turkish-Armenian journalist murder

An Istanbul court has sentenced seven people in connection with the murder of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink 12 years ago that sent shockwaves around the country. Among those sentenced was Erhan Tuncel for 99 years and six months in jail over multiple charges, including "assisting a murder" and "being a member of an armed criminal organization", state news agency Anadolu reported on Wednesday.

Another defendant, Yasin Hayal, was sentenced to seven years and six months in jail for "setting up and managing an armed criminal organization", the agency said. Dink was shot dead with two bullets to the head in broad daylight outside the offices of Turkish-Armenian bilingual weekly Agos in central Istanbul on January 19, 2007.

Dink, 52, was the editor-in-chief of Agos and a fierce advocate of reconciliation between Turks and Armenians. His death became a wider scandal after it was discovered that security forces were aware of the murder plot, but failed to act.

Ogun Samast, then a 17-year-old jobless high-school dropout, previously confessed to Dink's murder. In 2011, Samast was sentenced for the murder to almost 23 years in jail. The court on Wednesday also handed Samast another sentence of two-and-a-half years in jail for belonging to a criminal organization.

Hayal and Tuncel were accused of heading the ultra-nationalist group Samast belonged to and of masterminding Dink's murder. Four other defendants received sentences ranging between a year and 16 years, the agency said. Two others were acquitted.

 

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