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Home arrow newsitems arrow ECHR on Hrant Dink: Turkey knew Murder Plan but didn't protect, + covers with Impunity many involved

ECHR on Hrant Dink: Turkey knew Murder Plan but didn't protect, + covers with Impunity many involved

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Written by ACM
Tuesday, 14 September 2010

 

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ECHR denounced that Turkey had persecuted the Murdered Journalist, indirectly but surely, because he dared Criticize the Turkish State's Negationism on the 1915 Armenian Genocide, condemning Ankara's Authorities not only for blatant failures to protect his Life, even if they knew that he was seriously threatened, and by whom, before the Killing, but also for violating his Freedom of Speech.

Moreover, Turkish State's Agents knew the Plan to Murder the dissident Journalist, but did nothing to prevent the killing, (on the contrary, they even cooperated with would-be Killers into jointly Persecuting and slandeing the Victim to the Courtts !), and Turkish State Agents are also among several individuals involved in the affair of the cold-blood killing, both before and afterwards, in one way or another, but the Turkish State still persists until Today (2006-2010) to scandalously cover up all their Crimes and/or wrong-doings with a continuing total Impunity, as ECHR's judgement, rendered after 2 successive applications lodged to Strasbourg by the victims' Family, in fact revealed today :  


That's why  ECHR condemned Turkey for multiple Violations of the Right to Life and to Freedom of Expression, ordering it to pay more than 133.000 € to the Victim's Family for various damages and expenses.


Turkish Government's failure to clearly promise that it willl, at least now, really investigate the cold-blood Murder of dissident Armenian Journalist Hrant Dink, to find and punish all those involved, and stop harassing or intimidating critical Journalists, after a stunning Condamnation of Ankara by ECHR, which denounced that Turkey had grossly failed to protect the Journalist, even if it knew that he was threatened, and didn't properly investigate his Murder, even resticting and hindering enquiries asked by the Victims' Families and Friends", that,  "Turkey now has an unambiguous duty to reopen the investigation and cast the net Wider than those currently on trial", because "both legal obligations and Justice require addressing (Turkish) State ...possible Collusion in the Killing", and, in addition,  "If Ankara is serious about implementing the ruling, it needs to End Restrictions on Free Speech by repealing restrictive laws and protect the Right to Speak out."

But Turkish Foreign Ministry reacted only by merely claiming that 'efforts"(sic !) to implement the ruling and ...measures to prevent Future violations, would be decided, without saying nothing about efficient investigations to find and punish all those involved in the cold-blood Murder, nor on stopping harassing and prosecuting critical Journalists, as ECHR found that Ankara did also on Hrant Dink's and many other cases.

-  "Successive Turkish Governments have responded to judgments by the European Court holding Turkey in violation of the European Convention on Human Rights by paying (a) ..compensation to victims, but without taking further steps to implement rulings. In cases where the European Court has held Turkey responsible for violating the right to life, Turkish authorities have repeatedly failed to reopen investigations or to take concrete steps to identify those responsible for killings", Human Rights Watch's officer, Emma Sinclair-Webb, denounced.

Moreover, ECHR found that Turkey is frequently condemned by ECHR for scandalous Journalists' Murders, totalling, alone, almost a similar level of the Number of such Condamnations for Press Killings, as.... all other CoE's 46 Member States : More than 60 compared to about 80 cases, even parts of Turkish Press reportedly denounced.
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The murdered Journalist had been earlier condemned by Turkish Courts for "insulting Turkiness", as they claimed.

But the applications to ECHR, lodged by the Victim's Wife and 2 Children, as well as his Brother, didn't protect not even them : After Hrant Dink's Murder, his Son was notoriously threatened to be prosecuted by similar Turkish Authorities' methods as his killed Father..

In one of his Articles, the Victim had "mentioned the Armenian origins of the adoptive Daughter of Ataturk", the founder of Turkey, born in Greece, "provoking Teactions, such as Demonstrations, Threatening Letters, etc, of which the Authorities were informed, by Extremist Nationalistc groups, who saw .. an attempt to turnish Attaturk's reputation".


But, instead of taking measures, on the contrary,  "Istanbul's deputy Prefect had warned him that the Security Forces couldn't guarantee his Safety, if his Newspaper continued to publish Articles provoking such reactions" ! I.e. instead of protecting the threatened Journalist, he had, on the contrary, even aggravated the threats against him, obviously pushing to muzzle...


Worse : Those who demonstrated and threatened Hrant Dink, from an Ultra Nationalist Turkish Group, instead of being arrested, on the contrary, were even ... allowed to intervene in Turkish Courts' prosecution against their own victim !
The Turkish Court's prosecution against the Journalist didn't stop but only after he was Murdered, on January 2007...


Scandalously, Turkish Authorities had been even officially informed that some supects were preparing to kill the Journalist, and that this was "probable", but they abstained from taking any measure whatever to try to protect the victim.


But all procedures against those Turkish Policement who knew that the Armenian Journalist was threatened by Death, and did nothing, between 2006 and 2007, were suspended or rejected in 2007-2008, ECHR denounced..


Scandalous Turkish Police's complicity with the Murderers went so far that, even after the bloody Killing, "some Turkish Security Agents ..... took their Photos in the company of the Killer, holding a Turkish Flag, in front of an inscription saying that "Motherland (Turkey) is sacred, and its fate cannot be left to chance", ECHR's judhemennt denounces.


The Murdered Journalist's Family accused Turkey in front of the ECHR, to have "exposed" him  ton Death risks, despite knowing the threats, and stressed that this was "part of a Series of Aggressions, organized by Turcs Extremists against members of Religious Minorities".


ECHR observed that the Turkish Authorities "were informed of an Intense Hostility, by UltraNationalist Turkish Groups, during the period of Time before he was murdered", mainly "because they found in his articles an attempt to turnish Attaturk's image", and they had even joined the Turkish Courts' prosecution accusing the Journalist to "insult Turkiness"...


But, Turkish Police, long before the tragic events, "knew that a Murder was probable, and even the Identity of its suspected instigators", ECHR found out.


- Astonishingly, "the instigators of Hrant Dink's murder ... had even spoken about their Plans in Public (!) to many People around them, had shown the Photograph" of the Journalist, clearly "designating him as the man to kill, had Tested in open air the Gun of the Crime, and had Planified the attack in a CyberCafé", ECHR denounces !..


- "Therefore, (Turkish) Authorities knew, or should know, that ..Dink was particularly exposed to become victim of a Deadly Attack", and that "this Risk was Real and Imminent", ECHR observed.


- But "Noone, among the 3 (Turkish) Authorities", who "knew" (See supra) and "were concerned by the Protection of the victim's Life", "did Not react in order to Prevent the Murder, ... despite the fact that they had been Informed of his Planification and Imminent execution", ECHR denounced.


+ Moreover, even after the Murder, (i.e. during the 2008-2010 period), ECHR found that ... "ALL procedures", raising the Responsibility of the Turkish Authorities which had so blatantly failed to do their duty to protect the threatened Journalist (See supra), had been either "Stopped", "Rejected", or Time-barred !


In addition, those empowered to decide on possible Sanctions for such blatant Failures to protect Human Life, were "not independent" from the Turkish Police, and "the Victim's Family weren't associated in the procedures against those Turkish Officers", while even "Suspicisions that a Turkish Police's Chief would have revealed his own UltraNationalistic views and supported the suspected Killers", "were not seriously investigated", ECHR also found.      


Therefore, ECHR concludes that, by droping all the Penal Law procedures against those Responsible, among Turkish Authorities, for blatantly failing to protect Hrant Dink's Life, is another Violation of the Human Right to Life, which implies, on the contrary, that an Efficient Investigation must be done to Identify and.. Punish those responsible for such grave failures


+ As a matter of General Principle, "ECHR reminds that Freedom of Expression is an Essential CornerStone for a Democratic Society", and that "this goes not only for Inoffensive or Indifferent "Informations", received favorably, but also for those who Oppose, Shock or create Concern in a State or in a part of the Population", while "the Press plays an Eminent Role in a Democatic Society : While it mustn't go beyond certain limits, mainly for the protection of (individual Person's) Reputation, it has, nevertheless, to communicate .... Informations and Ideas on all Issues of General Interest", "even with a dose of exageration or provocation".


>>> ECHR found that Hrant Dink's publications on the 1915 Genocide and Armenian Identity, were not a "Hate-speach" against the Turks, and therefore, by declaring the Journalist "Guilty for his words, the (Turkish) Courts punished him, indirectly, for having criticized the fact that the (Turkish) State ...denies the 1915 Genocide".
But, on such Political or General Interest issues, Admissible Criticism is much Larger, than in the cases of Individual persons, ECHR clearly confirmed also regarding the Armenian Genocide.


- Hrant "Dink was speaking as a Journalist", "dealing with Issues related to the Armenian Minority", and, "when he expressed his Contempt against some behaviors that he considered as a Negation of the 1915 Incidents, he simply communicated his Ideas and Views on an Issue of undeniable General Interest in a Democratic Society", in which, "it is of paramount Importance for the Debate engaged on particularly Grave Historic Facts,  to unfold in Freedom", also because "the Search of the Historic Truth, is an integral part of the Freedom of Expression", ECHR clearly stressed.


Moreover, ECHR concluded that the Persecution and Condemnation of the Journalist by the Turkish Authorities, taken in conjuction with the total Absence of any Measure to Protect him against dangerous Aggressions of Turkish Extremists, was a supplementary Violations of his Right to Freedom of Speech.


After such blatant ECHR's 2010 findings, it will obviously become even more Difficult for the EU to contine to pay such Turkish Authorities by wasting, each Year, many Hundreds of Millions € from EU Taxpayers' Money, (including from Poor People, obliged to pay VAT+), particularly during this Hard period of Global Financial and Economic Crisis, when, on the contrary, urgent Investments to Innovative High Tech. are EU's Top Priority among the growing Global Competition, while, in Turkey, even softly Critical Journalists as Hrant Dink are so abusively Persecuted and Murdered, with a Scandalous Impunity of all those Responsible for the cold-blood Killing, all along 2006-2010 !...

Interesting and timely (and, above all : obviously Justified, if not Necessary) .."Food for Thought" for EU Parliament's forthcoming Debates and Votes f.ex. on the 2011 EU Budget...

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(NDLR : Fast Translation from the Original ECHR Judgement, which is exclusively in French)

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3 EU Parliament votes to boost EuroGroup !

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After EuroZone Paris Summit's succes, Sarkozy calls to "think anew how to re-construct Europe !

"EuroZone and EU Institutional debates pave the way to 2009 discussions on EU Future, including Enlargment, Turkey etc. ?


23 October 2008

After EU Parliament strongly suppported in 3 successive Votes this week in Strasbourg French EU Chairmanship's move to boost Euro-Group at EU's core, while ideas on EU Institutional problems are awaited on December, "it's an open Question now" if this may lead to a debate on EU's Future, or not, told us French President, Nicolas Sarkozy''s Spokesman, Pierre-Jerome Henin.

MEPs voted on Thursday fresh Funds to support EuroGroup, after adopting on Wednesday a Resolution asking a "further Evolution" to "the 1st ever meeting of Heads of State and of Government of the Euro-Zone, taking decisions in that capacity", while earlier this week a Report asked "a stronger Institutional setting" for "EuroGroup", extended from "competitiveness/industry" to "environment, employment and education", with "increased powers for Political decision-making", according to a text drafted by French MEP Francoise Beres and German MEP Werner Langen, "10 Years after the creation of Euro" (1999 - 2009).

- Brussels' subsequent "EU Council ..(simply)..ratified the measures decided by EuroGroup on October 12" in Paris, which "were necessary to contain the current Financial Crisis", Resolution observes, expressing also support to the new process succesfully initiated by Sarkozy and due to be completed by agreements with USA and other countries at a Global level.

From now on, it's between two differend but parallel moves : EU's delay, and EuroZone's acceleration, that Enlargement and particularly Turkey's controversial EU bid, will have to search its way :

Indeed, EU's 27 expect a "Roadmap on how to deal with the Irish problem" on Lisbon Treaty ratification after December, risking to pass even 2009 Elections and next Commission with the old Nice Treaty of 2000, out-dated and unfit even for 2004's Enlargement...

On the contrary, EU's core launches a real "Economic Governance for EuroZone at the highest level of Heads of State/Government" of the 15, which started in Paris on October 12 and was strongly supported this week in Strasbourg by Sarkozy and EU Parliament.
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- "It's a good idea, to launch such a debate ("on EU's Future") in EU Parliament in view of 2009 Euro-Election : Perhaps some MEPs will seize an opportunity", told us mainstream French MEP Alain Lamassoure, former EU Minister and EU Spokesman for France's governing party UMP.

- "All MEPs' debates on such EU Councils are also part of the larger debate on Europe's future : Now with EuroZone, and even more when, on December, Irish Prime Minister is due to table proposals in Strasbourg on how to deal with EU Treaty's ratification", replied earlier to our question EU Parliament's Press Director and Spokesman, Jaume Duch.
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Sarkozy has formally anounced his intention to open EU Debates on Economy, Identity/Enlargement (i.e. mainly Turkey), etc. both linked to a popular Political view of Europe, since his Historic speeches on EU in Strasbourg, on February and July 2007, when he stressed that "Europe needs a New Renaissance". At the beginning of the French EU Presidency, on July 2008, replying to a MEP, he suggested that EU Parliament takes an active part in Debates on EU's Future.

- Now, in 2008, "Crisis are an opportunity to re-think how to re-construct Europe", Sarkozy stressed. At any case, the Historic 1st EuroZone Summit of Heads of State/Government, which started replying to the Financial crisis,"is a Turning Point : After that, Europe cannot be governed as before, but differently" : People "like a Europe with Strong Will".

- "We must make the System move !", "Europe needs Innovation" and free political debates. EU "Elections are in a few Months", Sarkozy warned.

He invited EU Parliament to fully play its role as "the Democratic Heart of the Europe we want : United, Independent and Voluntarist, because the World needs Europe's voice".

- "It's no more possible for Euro-Zone to continue without an Economic Government" at the Highest Level of Heads of State/Government, who provide "Democratic Legitimity" and can take important decisions, he announced, strongly supported by EU Parliament's Economic Committee which just voted to boost the "Institutional" aspects of "EuroGroup".

Plasticity offered by the current absence of a special Treaty on EuroZone's Institutions "made it easy to adapt the organization of the 1st Summit with imagination, to efficiently meet urgent needs", he observed, on the occasion of Brittish Prime Minister's exceptionnal presence at the greatest part of EuroGroup's Paris Summit.

- "In EuroZone we have the same Bank, the same Money, and, thus, a same duty for Unity" : "By bringing together EuroGroup's 15 members States we suceeded to find a solution and prepare a Giant Plan of 1.800 Billion euros", Sarkozy reminded of Paris' 1st Historic EuroZone's Summit.

Afterwards, Brussels' EU Council followed the move, and USA's Paulson II Plan was inspired from that. "Europe must promote the idea of Global Economy's Refoundation", he stressed.

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- "I was frankly astonished when I found, at the EU, a rigid system, where any New Idea was seen from the outset as a sacrilege, while, on the contrary, Europe needs Innovation !", he described.

F.ex. ,"'When we first spoke about the "Union for the Mediterranean", it was misunderstood as something extraordinary.. When later we had the Russia -Georgia crisis, it seemed against EU's custom to act "in the middle of August", instead of staying a passive spectator ! And when, in front of the Financial ciris, we gathered the 1st EuroZone Summit of the "15", some thought of it as a lese-majesté", he denounced.
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On Geo-Political Principles :
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- But, by moving resolutely, "EU obtained the ...withdrawal of Occupation Troops in 2 Months !", reminded Sarkozy, observing that Russia "fulfilled its commitments", in the Georgian crisis, where a "disroportionate reaction" from Moscow followed a "totally inappropriate action" from Tbilisi's troops. "It would be crazy to reply by military means : EU should not become accomplice of another Cold War, imposed by lack of cool heads".. as he said.

In future, "the creation of a common European Economic Area with EU and Russia, would also obtain a raprochment on our Human Rights and Democratic Values", added Sarkozy, in a statement which should logically be applied, a fortiori, to controversial EU "candidate" Turkey..

Particularly when, the same week that EU Parliament voted 2009 EU Funds for Turkey's controversial EU bid, ECHR took a series of judgements condemning Turkey for grave Violations of Human Rights, such as : Torture, death of a political prisoner in unclear circumstances followed by failure to conduct a proper Investigation, "enforced Disappearance" of a youngster aged 17, Killing of a sepherd with Tank Shells, persecuting Journalists for articles on "Missing" People, even a former President of Human Rights' Association, (etc)

- "We (EU) can defend our ideas on respect of Sovereignity and territorial Integrity, on Human Rights and other differences ... without confrontation", Sarkozy stressed, on the occasion of Russian/Georgian conflict, reminding that : "we were only 2 steps from catastroph", when a Peace agreement brokered in Moscow prevented, at the last minute, Russian troops' advance towards Tbilisi.

An EU Parliament Resolution adopted Wednesday in Strasbourg on the occasion of Russia - Georgia conflict, outlines a set of Principle which apply elsewhere too, (particularly when EU Rapporteur for Russia and Turkey is one and same person ; Dutch MEP Ria Oomen-Ruijtanen !)

Clearly rejecting any "military solution to the conflicts", MEPs "condemn ..all those who resorted to force and violence". They denounce a "disproportionate military action", "as well as (an) unilateral decision to recognise the independence" of brekaway regions, "calling.. to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity" of the concerned country, "and the inviolability of its borders recognised by all EU Member States". They warn that "EU must review its policy towards" a 3rd Country, "should .(it)...not comply with its commitments", and "stress that the withdrawal of.... troops from the areas ....is an essential additional step".

EU Parliament "calls for the safe and quick return of refugees, (accepted by Russian President Medvedev) accompanied by the deployment of EU observers on the ground", and "regrets ...that ..EU Monitoring Mission (EUMM) is not allowed to enter the ...breakaway regions". Moreover, "It's important to ensure that persons and NGOs ..engaged in defending human and civil rights can operate". "Until ...all remaining issues (are) resolved..., and notably the continuing ...Military presence", "relations with the EU ..cannot be fully normalised", MEPS warned.

As nobody likes to be accused to practice "Double Standards", this should be regarded as "Principles" applicable to any Third Country at EU's Neighborhood.. No ?

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On Economy :

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- "When Financial crisis shook US and EU's Banks, without result from the 1st (American) Paulsen plan, it was the common reply of the 1st EuroZone's Summit, involving some 1800 Billion euros, which started a positive move in the markets, soon strengthened by the follow-up of the US Paulson 2 Plan, noted Sarkozy.

- "Europe should not be only on the defensive, but, if necessary, know also how to take an offensive", he said, brushing away hesitationsto act on Economy: - "I'm for a refondation of Capitaliism, but against Speculators, who betray its values" : "Lack of Rules was profitable to speculators, Not to businessmen !" We must make sure to prevent any such crisis in future". "We, the rest of the World, cannot continue to bear the deficits of the 1st World power without saying anything !", the French President said, applauded by EU Parliament. All this needs "a New Global Governance", on which EU Parliament must debate. That's why "we proposed together with USA, several Summits from mid-November", to which G-8, enlarged to China, India a.o. countries, should participate. UNO's SG; Ban Ki Moon, the IMF, etc.

Financial crisis lowered shares' prices even for healthy companies, sometimes to 1/3 of their initial price, so that strangers might buy EU industries for only a portion of their real value, and Europeans may wake up one day with their main industries sold out to foreigners !

That's one of the reasons for which EU should debate about creating "Golden Shares" for States to jointly take Strategic participations to help European Industries until the end of the Crisis, particularly against distording competition, he suggested, pointing at USA's 35 billion $ plan for American Car Industry."We shall struggle for Europe to be able to build Airplanes, Ships, Trains, Cars, because we need a strong Industry", he concluded.

"F.ex. as we did back in 2004, when as Finance Minister, we bought Alsthom's shares for 800.000 euros, and, after restructuring, we sold them for 2 Millions : Help a company and make money is not so bad"...

As for the UK, "when Ireland announced that it would guarantee only Irish Banks, London City emptied from liquidities in 24 hours : It's the EU which helped to restore the situation, Not the UK alone !", reminded Sarkozy to nationalist British MEP Nigel Farage.

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On the contrary, in a last-minute attempt for the EU to catch-up with its Institutional delay "before the European Elections" of June 2009, MEPs simply voted a call for a "set of proposals" to be made for the "Irish public opinion" at the end of the year...

- "As long as Lisbon Treaty is not ratified by all 27 EU Member States, there is an unanimous decision to stop Enlargement, reminded Wednesday in Strasbourg the French Minister for EU affairs, Jean-Pierre Jouyet..

Added to an indirect but clear warning that, without Lisbon Treaty, all 27 EU Member Countries may not have a Commissioner in the 2009 resuffle, MEPS in the Constitutional/Foreign affairs Committees applauded hoping that this might motivate their Irish friends..

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