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DE RUEHIT #0897 2751423
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 021423Z OCT 07 ZDK
FM AMCONSUL ISTANBUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7571
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
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UNCLAS ISTANBUL 000897 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM PGOV TU
SUBJECT: SECOND SESSION OF DINK MURDER TRIAL 
 
REF: ISTANBUL 0577 
 
¶1.  Summary.  The second session of the Hrant Dink murder 
trial convened on October 1 behind closed doors and 
reportedly included, for the first time, the testimony and 
confession of primary murder suspect Ogun Samast.  Meanwhile, 
during the run-up to the hearing, press focused on new 
information which added to suspicions that security officials 
were complicit in the January 19 assassination.  The trial is 
scheduled to continue on February 11, 2008.  End summary. 
 
¶2.  The Hrant Dink murder trial convened on October 1 for the 
first time since hearings began on July 2 at the 14th Penal 
Court in Istanbul's Besiktas district (reftel).  According to 
press reports of statements made by attorneys following the 
closed door session, the primary murder suspect, 17-year old 
Ogun Samast admitted -- during his first testimony before the 
court -- to the January 19 murder of Hrant Dink.  Samast, 
however, also reportedly claimed he carried out the murder 
under duress, accusing another suspect Yasin Hayal of 
coercing him by threatening his family.  Samast also 
allegedly asserted he was forced to take ecstasy pills prior 
to the murder in order to give him the "courage" to carry it 
through. 
 
¶3.  Attorneys also reported that the Dink family -- 
represented in court by Hrant Dink's widow Rakel, daughter 
Delal and two brothers -- repeated a request to expand the 
murder investigation to include Istanbul Police Chief 
Celalettin Cerrah for failing to protect the prominent human 
rights advocate despite having evidence of threats against 
his life.  The Istanbul Chief Prosecutor has yet to respond 
to the request, initially made at the July hearing.  The 
court is also considering a separate Dink family request to 
incorporate into the hearings charges against police officers 
who posed with Samast in front of Turkish flags in 
controversial photographs taken shortly after the murder 
suspect was arrested. 
 
¶4.  During the immediate run-up to the second session, press 
widely reported on the content of a telephone conversation, 
leaked to the media on September 29, between a police officer 
and Erhan Tuncel who has been charged with inciting Dink,s 
murder.  A transcript of the conversation, which took place 
immediately after the January 19 assassination, suggests the 
police officer was, at the very least, aware of a plot 
against Dink's life, if not involved in a plot himself.  The 
trial is scheduled to re-convene on February 11, 2008. 
 
¶5.  Comment.  The Dink murder trial is expected to continue 
for some time along with the associated extended recesses as 
officials move forward with their investigations.  The 
significance of this murder -- and allegations that not just 
ultranationalists, but police in some way were complicit 
with, or applauded the assassination of this high profile 
Turkish-Armenian human rights activist -- will not diminish 
with time.  End comment. 
WIENER