Dink case will continue today
This first day of the trials of Dink case ended. After the lunch break, the hearing started again. Upon the demand of the lawyers of the suspects, the court read the indictment. After the reading was completed, the court gave a break till the next morning. Tomorrow, the hearing will start with the reading of the rest of the indictment and it is also expected that, after the reading is completed, the court will start to hear the suspects.
Engin Dinç will attend the hearing
After the court identified the suspects who are present at the hearing, the lawyers of Dink family asked whether the Chief of Security General Directorate Intelligence Branch Engin Dinç has an excuse for his absence. The Chief Judge said that he hasn't presented any excuse. After that, Dinç's lawyer said that Engin Dinç will attend the hearing that will be held tomorrow.
Dink case is started to be tried in 14th High Penal Court. Dink family's lawyers Bahri Belen, Hakan Bakırcıoğlu, Sebu Aslangil, Tangül Özer, Melike Polat and Zeynep Parmaksızoğlu are present at the hearing.
Arrested suspects Yasin Hayal, Ali Fuat Yılmazer, Ramazan Akyürek, Ercan Demir, Tamer Bülent Demirel, Osman Gülbel, Ali Poyraz and Hamdi Egebatan are attending the trial via video call.
Celalettin Cerrah, Ahmet İlhan Güler, Reşat Altay, Faruk Sarı, Hasan Durmuşoğlu, Sabri Uzun, Onur Karakaya, Mehmet Ayhan, Erhan Tuncel and Mehmet Ali Özkılınç, the suspects who are tried without arrest, are also present at the hearing.
Muhittin Zenit and Özkan Mumcu, who were released at the previous hearing, are also present.
HPD Istanbul MP Garo Paylan is following the trial.
Lawyers of Cerrah: you cannot try him
Speaking at the hearing, the lawyers of Celalettin Cerrah, who is a former Istanbul Provincial Police Chief, demanded a stay of proceedings on the ground that the indictment against him was prepared without a permit for investigation. They also stated that, since he is currently serving as a governor, only the Supreme Court can try him.
Former Chief of Istanbul Police Directorate Intelligence Branch Ahmet İlhan Güler and Mehmet Uçar also demanded stay of proceedings with the same ground.
Lawyers of Dink family: he can be tried
Lawyers of Dink family Bahri Belen and Hakan Bakırcıoğlu spoke about these objections.
Bahri Belen reminded that after Dink was murdered, the public officials couldn't had been tried because of the political atmosphere. Belen stated that there is nothing preventing Cerrah from being tried.
Bakırcıoğlu reminded the decisions of 8th High Penal Court and the Constitutional Court and stated that the indictment was prepared in accordance with the procure.
The prosecutor also expressed his opinion in favor of refusal of the demands.
The court decided that, in terms of procedure, there is no obstacle for trying Cerrah and Uçar. The court referred to ECHR's ruling concerning Dink case and 8th High Penal Court's decision concerning the trial of public officials.
