Lyrics Writer Praising Murder of Journalist Dink Goes Scot-Free

Defendants Türüt and Şirin, lyrics writer and vocalist respectively of a folk song which praises the murder of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink, have been acquitted. Defendant Öztekin received a 1 year prison sentence for producing and publishing the video clip.

Erhan Üstündağ

Lyrics Writer Praising Murder of Journalist Dink Goes Scot-Free

The Istanbul 16^th Criminal Court of First Instance handed a 1 year 15days prison sentence to Hakan Öztekin for producing and publishing a video clip which praised the murder of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink.

The folk song is called "Don't make a plan" ('Plan yapmayın plan'). It was vocalized by İsmail Türüt and the lyrics were written by Arif Şirin. Both Türüt and Şirin were acquitted. Defendant Zeynel Abidin Mutlu, who put the clip onto Youtube together with Tekin, was acquitted as well upon the authentication of claims due to a "lack of clear and convincing evidence". The court postponed the explication of the ruling regarding Öztekin. All four defendants were tired under charges of "praising crime and a criminal" and "inciting the public to hatred and hostility".

Türüt made the following announcement after the hearing: "The ones who convicted us without a trial, the ones who insulted us in their columns, the ones who go along with the highbrows - are they not ashamed now? I wonder what they will write in their columns".

Ömer Yeşilyurt, lawyer of Türüt and Şirin, indicated, "The song was sang to call the people from the Black Sea region for sensitivity and to draw attention to the games played behind the scenes".

The Human Rights Association, the Association of Human Rights and Solidarity for Oppressed Peoples (MAZLUM-DER) and several other human rights organizations had reacted against Türüt based on the lyrics of the folk song which praise Dink murder suspects Yasin Hayal and Ogün Samast.

Türüt defended the folk song until the end, arguing that the song did not have such an intention and that he did not approve of the video clip.

The Istanbul court also decreed to block access to the video clip on Youtube. Nevertheless, the clip can still be accessed. The lyrics include lines like "Let them say this on that day ("Ogün") and this today / The Black Sea does not run out of Fatihas (Muslim prayer) and Yasins.

Editor-in-Chief of the Armenian Agos newspaper was killed in front of the newspaper's office in Istanbul on 19 January 2007. (EÜ/VK)