Witness In Dink’s Murder Case Changes His Statement

In Dink’s murder case, Kaan Gerçek rejected his previous statement that he was with Dink’s murder suspect Ogün Samast driving around in Istanbul before journalist Hrant Dink was murdered. He said he did not remember anything.

The 14th High Criminal Court of Istanbul, which is trying the case, had decided on October 14 to take the statements of the witnesses Ergun Çağatay in Erciş and Kaan Gerçek in Afyonkarahisar.

Witness Gerçek does not remember anything

The 1st High Criminal Court of Afyon took Gerçek’s statement in the presence of Dink’s lawyers İnci İşbilir, Arzu Becerik and Bahri Bayram Belen in the city of Afyon where he is doing his military service took.

Gerçek had told in his previous statement that “Ogün told me he was going to kill someone named Hrant Dink. He showed me his gun and Dink’s photograph.” But he now rejects this statement and says he does not remember anything.

Belen: We will file a complaint for false testimony

Belen says Gerçek is important for solving the incident since he is one of the people who was with Ogün Samast a day before the murder.  He told bianet that “We now know he lies. He had told us that he had driven around with Samast and that he had told him everything. Now he denies everything. We will file complaint about this person for false testimony.”

Osman Hayal joins the trial for giving false statement

Osman Hayal, Yasin Hayal’s brother, joined the case as the 20th suspect following his suspicious statements regarding whereabouts of him on the day of the murder.

Osman Hayal will be tried as the twentieth suspect of the trial at the 14th High Criminal Court of Beşiktaş, Istanbul. The next hearing will be on January 26.(EÖ/TB)