Dink Murder Planner's Lawyer a Suspect Himself

Fuat Turgut, the lawyer representing suspect Yasin Hayal in the Hrant Dink murder trial, has himself become the subject of a criminal complaint. He has been accused of threatening a fellow lawyer with death.

Following the complaint of Izmir Bar Association lawyer Ismail Hakki Kücük, a case has been opened against Fuat Turgut at an Izmir magistrate criminal court. Kücük had filed a complaint at the Izmir Chief Public Prosecutor's Office on 15 December 2005.

Kücük had been representing a wholesale shoe dealer, Mustaf Özvardar, and Turgut was representing one Fethi Takes who had debts with Özvardar. Kücük claims to have been threatened with death by both Takes and his lawyer, Turgut.

Özvardar had gone to Kücük's office and said, "You are telling me to 'come and kill me'. If you want interest on this file, your children will become orphans."

At the first hearing of the Hrant Dink murder trial at the Besiktas court (Istanbul), Fuat Turgut had created tension. He had taunted the Dink family and had accused the joint attorneys of "treachery". He had shouted, "Look how many Armenians there are. You are all Armenian, you all have Armenian passports."

Should Turgut be punished, the Izmir Bar Association would bar him from his profession. (NK/EÜ/AG)