Turkey: Court releases 1 in 2007 Dink murder case

Volkan Sahin, earlier remanded in case of journalist's killing, released after evidence turns in favor

By Murat Kaya

ISTANBUL (AA) - A Turkish court Friday released a defendant who was previously remanded over the 2007 murder of prominent Armenian-Turkish journalist Hrant Dink, according to a judicial source.

In its interlocutory order on Jan. 6, the Heavy Penal Court no.14 in Istanbul ordered an arrest warrant for Volkan Sahin, a former gendarmerie officer, and he was remanded in following the decision.

During Friday’s hearing, the court issued another interlocutory order which released Sahin under judicial control.

Considering current evidence, the scope of the file, and that the matching statements of the accused and witnesses, the court cited the update in the evidence in favor of Sahin for its rule.

The court also ordered judicial control for Ali Oz, another defendant of the case, as a precaution, instead of arrest, considering the matching statements of the defendant and witnesses.

Both Sahin and Oz are ordered not to leave their residences.

Dink, then editor-in-chief of the Armenian-Turkish newspaper Agos, was killed outside his office on Jan. 19, 2007.

Kaynak: