VZCZCXRO9591
PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHIT #0387 1290634
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 090634Z MAY 07
FM AMCONSUL ISTANBUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6990
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHDA/AMCONSUL ADANA PRIORITY 2312

UNCLAS ISTANBUL 000387 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PTER PGOV TU
SUBJECT: DINK TRIAL TO BE HELD ON JULY 2 
 
REF: A. ISTANBUL 42 
 
     ¶B. ISTANBUL 38 
 
¶1.  Istanbul's Heavy Penal Court No. 14 will hear the case 
against the 18 suspects in the Hrant Dink assassination on 
July 2.  The hearing will be closed to observers because Ogun 
Samast, the primary suspect, is a minor.  The court has 
invited Orhan Pamuk, who was threatened by one of the 
suspects, to testify as a witness. 
 
¶2.  The indictment asked for life sentences without parole 
for Erhan Tuncel and Yasin Hayal for soliciting Dink's 
murder.  The prosecutor also recommended from 22.5 to 48 
years of imprisonment for Erhan Tuncel for "managing an armed 
terror organization" and "producing and using explosives." 
For Yasin Hayal, another 18 to 30 years in prison is sought 
for "managing an armed terror organization, threatening Orhan 
Pamuk and carrying an unlicensed fire-arm."  The indictment 
stipulates that the gunman, Ogun Samast, is below 18 and 
should be imprisoned for between 18 and 24 years the maximum 
sentence available for a minor.  It also calls for various 
prison terms for the remaining 15 suspects ranging from 7.5 
to 35 years.  Two Grand Union Party (BBP) members, Yasar 
Cihan and Halis Egemen, could be sentenced to between 7.5 and 
15 years if convicted of "aiding and abetting a terrorist 
organization." 
 
¶3.  Comment:  The prosecutor's decision to charge the 
defendants in this case under terrorist-related statutes is 
not without controversy.  The initial submission was rejected 
by the judge, but a second application was sustained.  The 
court will now rule on the charges as presented in the 
indictment.  Although it appears we will be unable to observe 
the trial itself, we will continue to monitor this case. 
JONES