Ogün Samast to appear in court again

Ogün Samast, who is being tried for 'committing a crime on behalf of an armed terrorist organization without being a member' in connection with the murder of Agos Newspaper Editor-in-Chief Hrant Dink on January 19, 2007, will appear in court tomorrow following the merger of his case with the main organization trial at the High Criminal Court. The hearing, which will be held at the Istanbul 14th High Criminal Court, is expected to see the non-detained defendant Ogün Samast connect via the Audio and Video Information System (SEGBİS).

BACKGROUND OF THE CASE

Regarding the murder of Agos Newspaper Editor-in-Chief Hrant Dink on January 19, 2007, the Istanbul 14th High Criminal Court had previously opened a case on the grounds that certain public officials were aware that the murder would be committed and failed to fulfill their duties to prevent it. As a result of the proceedings, the Istanbul 14th High Criminal Court had filed criminal complaints against some suspects.

The new indictment prepared by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office stated that the Istanbul 14th High Criminal Court had filed a criminal complaint on April 12, 2021, and the Dink family was included as 'complainants,' while Ogün Samast was included as a 'child dragged into crime.' In the prepared indictment, it was requested that Ogün Samast, who was included as a child dragged into crime, be sentenced to 5 to 10 years in prison for 'committing a crime on behalf of an armed terrorist organization without being a member.' Later, the case file opened at the Istanbul 2nd Juvenile High Criminal Court was merged with the organization trial at the Istanbul 14th High Criminal Court.

On the other hand, in the indictment prepared regarding the organization trial with which Samast's file was merged, it was requested that suspects Yahya Öztürk and Adem Sağlam be sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment and 22 years and 6 months to 35 years in prison each for the crimes of 'violating the constitution,' 'causing intentional homicide through the neglect of a specific duty,' and 'being a member of an armed terrorist organization.'

In the indictment, it was requested that suspects Ramazan Akyürek, Faruk Sarı, and Ali Fuat Yılmazer be sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment each for the crime of 'violating the constitution,' while it was requested that other suspects Yasin Hayal, Zeynel Abidin Yavuz, Tuncay Uzundal, Erhan Tuncel, Ersin Yolcu, and Ahmet İskender be sentenced to 5 to 10 years in prison each for the crime of 'committing a crime on behalf of a terrorist organization without being a member.'