CHP leader puts Dink hit blame on the ruling party

ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News

Main opposition leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu said yesterday the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) protected officials involved in the probe into the murder of ethnic Armenian journalist Hrant Dink and was directly responsible for the contentious verdict in the case.

“Favorite bureaucrats of the AKP destroyed evidence and kept it away from the case file. The trial was conducted under the supervision and guardianship of the AKP,” Kılıçdaroğlu said yesterday at the parliamentary group meeting of his Republican People’s Party (CHP).

He mentioned Muammer Güler, Istanbul governor when Dink was gunned down outside his office on Jan. 19, 2007, who is now an AKP deputy, and the city’s then-Police Chief Celalettin Cerrah, who has since been promoted to the post of Osmaniye governor.

The court ruled last week that no illegal organization was behind the self-confessed gunman, unleashing nationwide outrage. No public officials have been charged in the case, even though intelligence of an assassination plot against Dink was sent to Istanbul police months before the murder.

“The judge decides according to evidence. Officials backed by the AKP did not make this evidence available,” Kılıçdaroğlu said.