Hrant Dink murderer seeks name change to Ali Eren Karadeniz
Musa Kesler - ISTANBUL
Ogün Samast, the man convicted of murdering Armenian-origin journalist Hrant Dink in 2007, has petitioned the court to change his name to Ali Eren Karadeniz, according to a report from daily Hürriyet.
The chief prosecutor's office in Istanbul is seeking a prison term of five to 10 years for Samast's alleged involvement with FETÖ, the group behind the 2016 coup attempt. As legal proceedings unfold, Samast has taken an unusual step by filing a petition with the civil court, expressing his desire to change his name and surname.
In the petition, seen by Hürriyet, Samast justified his request by stating, "I was involved in a grave incident at a young age. Because of this, I have difficulties in society. I can't relax, I want to be forgotten."
Hrant Dink, a prominent journalist and the editor-in-chief of the weekly Agos, fell victim to gunfire in broad daylight outside his office by Samast, then a 17-year-old jobless high-school dropout.
Under the Turkish Civil Code, individuals are granted the right to change their name and surname, but courts typically require a "justifiable reason" for such requests. While the law does not explicitly define these reasons, the Court of Cassation's established case law suggests that names associated with tragic or notorious events may be deemed justifiable for change.
Recently freed after serving nearly 17 years in prison, Samast now faces new charges related to alleged involvement with a terrorist organization. The new case followed widespread public criticism sparked by his release last month.
Notably, the situation echoes a past case involving Mehmet Ali Ağca, the perpetrator of the 1979 assassination of daily Milliyet editor-in-chief Abdi İpekçi and the 1981 attempt to assassinate Pope John Paul II. After his release from prison in 2010, Ağca changed his surname to Aslan to distance himself from his dark past.
