Dink’s murderer appears in court, this time over terror charges

ISTANBUL

Ogün Samast, the convicted perpetrator of the 2007 assassination of Armenian-origin journalist Hrant Dink, found himself back in court yesterday, this time facing charges related to terrorism.

Samast, who served 16 years for the high-profile killing, was recently released and is now confronted with accusations of "committing a crime on behalf of an armed terrorist organization without being a member."

During the hearing at an Istanbul court via the audio and video information system, Samast requested additional time to prepare his defense. The presiding judge accepted the request, citing the late notification of the indictment.

The court session witnessed the attendance of lawyers representing both the Dink family and other defendants – Ramazan Akyürek, Erhan Tuncel, Ali Fuat Yılmazer and Zeynel Abidin Yavuz.

The chief prosecutor's office in Istanbul is advocating for a prison term ranging from five to 10 years for his alleged involvement with FETÖ, the group behind the 2016 coup attempt.

Dink, a prominent journalist and the editor-in-chief of the weekly Agos, was gunned down in broad daylight in front of his office by Samast, who was then a 17-year-old jobless high-school dropout.

Although concrete evidence linking Samast to FETÖ remains elusive, the prosecution suggests his connections with the organization's executives and members.

Samast's release last month stirred public outrage, with Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş commenting on the need for potential reforms within the execution system and a comprehensive review of the judicial system.