Friends of Hrant slam gov’t attempt to associate Dink murder with Gülen movement

The Friends of Hrant held a press conference in front of Çağlayan Courthouse before the eighth hearing in the retrial of the Dink murder on Friday. (Photo: Cihan)
The Friends of Hrant held a press conference in front of Çağlayan Courthouse before the eighth hearing in the retrial of the Dink murder on Friday. (Photo: Cihan)


Date posted: January 25, 2015

MÜRSEL GENÇ/ MUSTAFA ARSLAN/ / ISTANBUL

A group called Friends of Hrant Dink, including lawmakers and activists, has harshly criticized the government’s recent attempt to associate the Dink’s murder with the Gülen movement, inspired by the teachings of Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, calling onauthorities to expose the real criminals behind the murder.

The group held a press conference in front of Çağlayan Courthouse before the eighth hearing in the retrial of the Dink murder on Friday. Speaking on behalf of the group, Cumhuriyet columnist Aydın Engin said that there are attempts to link the murder with one individual or a group. Referring to the “parallel structure,” a term invented by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to refer to the Gülen movement (Hizmet movement), Engin said: “There are attempts being made to associate the murder with a nondescript structure called ‘parallel.’ However, we have known from the beginning that it was a murder of national reconciliation.”

A court overseeing the retrial of the Dink murder postponed the trial to April 28.

Engin said the trial is nothing more than a show, adding that concealed evidence, suspected public officials being promoted instead of convicted and court decisions have made them all pessimistic. Stating that the Dink murder has so far been used by the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) for various political reasons, Engin said that the government is trying to blame the Gülen movement for it. The government has been in conflict with the movement since a corruption scandal that implicated various high-ranking state officials was made public on Dec. 17, 2013.

The columnist claimed that Dink was murdered as a result of a cooperation between police, soldiers, the National Intelligence Organization (MİT) and some provocateurs. “We know the names of most of the public officials involved in the murder. They cannot make us believe in this deceit. They cannot confine this trial only to the parallel [structure] or any other particular structure,” he said. He also said the state network behind the murder should be revealed and all the criminals should be punished.

Source: Today's Zaman , January 23, 2015

Tags: | |


Related News

Comments on Turkey coup attempt by Prof. John Whyte

Prof. John Whyte’s comments on recent coup attemtp in Turkey.

Suspicious Deaths And Suicides On The Rise In Turkey With 54 People In Last 8 Months

Against the background of massive crackdown on critics and opponents in Turkey and widespread torture practices in detentions and prisons, 54 people were reported to have lost their lives, most under suspicious circumstances and under lock-up in the last eight months.

One Year On, New Research Uncovers Turkey’s Coup Bid Staged By Erdoğan Himself

The report uncovered a critical information that the plot was actually kicked off on July 11 with secret orders given by generals who corroborated with Turkey’s autocratic President Erdogan’s defense and intelligence chiefs in disguising the plan as unconventional action plan. Only a handful men were let into the secret plot while many were led to believe a drill or an urgent response to a terror threat is underway.

Criminal complaint filed against prosecutor accusing Hizmet of being terrorist

A criminal complaint has been filed against Ankara public prosecutor Serdar Coşkun, who prepared an indictment in which by using false testimonies as evidence he accused several people of conducting organized crime under the Hizmet movement which he claimed to be a terrorist organization.

40,000 people reported to authorities for being Gülen followers since July 15

As many as 40,000 people have been reported to the Ankara Police Department for being followers of the Gülen movement since a failed coup attempt on July 15. Although the movement strongly denies having any role in the corruption probe and the coup attempt, the government accuses it of having masterminded both despite the lack of any tangible evidence.

Erdogan blackmails President-Elect Trump

“Turkey desperately wants the U.S. government to extradite an imam [Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen],” Maddow explained. “They [the U.S.] have said that they are not extraditing him. But if that’s what you wanted, what if you could squeeze the personal financial interests of the American president as a way to get what you want from the American government?”

Latest News

Turkish inmate jailed over alleged Gülen links dies of heart attack in prison

Message of Condemnation and Condolences for Mass Shooting at Bondi Beach, Sydney

Media executive Hidayet Karaca marks 11th year in prison over alleged links to Gülen movement

ECtHR faults Turkey for convictions of 2,420 applicants over Gülen links in follow-up to 2023 judgment

New Book Exposes Erdoğan’s “Civil Death Project” Targeting the Hizmet Movement

European Human Rights Treaty Faces Legal And Political Tests

ECtHR rejects Turkey’s appeal, clearing path for retrials in Gülen-linked cases

Erdoğan’s Civil Death Project’ : The ‘politicide’ spanning more than a decade

Fethullah Gülen’s Vision and the Purpose of Hizmet

In Case You Missed It

Turkish teacher kidnapped in Mongolia freed after authorities ground flight

76 newborns stateless as Turkey denies passports over parents’ Gülen links

Taraf, Baransu file criminal complaint against PM Erdoğan

Who is Fethullah Gülen, why is the Gülen movement currently being targeted by the Turkish government?

Woman sent to prison on coup charges hours after surgery

Samanyolu news faces cyber attack from abroad

Canadian Globe Editorial- It just gets worse in Turkey

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News