(BIANET/IFEX) – Aris Nalci, news director of the “Agos” weekly newspaper, said although there has been a drop in e-mail threats received by the newspaper, the threats are still continuing. In a recent case, a student identified only as R.D., who is in his last year of high school, has been arrested for sending a […]
(BIANET/IFEX) – Aris Nalci, news director of the “Agos” weekly newspaper, said although there has been a drop in e-mail threats received by the newspaper, the threats are still continuing.
In a recent case, a student identified only as R.D., who is in his last year of high school, has been arrested for sending a threatening message to the newspaper one day after its editor-in-chief Hrant Dink was killed (see IFEX alerts of 13 July, 2 April, 23 and 19 January 2007).
According to a report in the “Vatan” newspaper”, R.D. said in his first statement: “I sent that message in a moment of ignorance.”
R.D. said it was his own mistake and that he had not received orders from anyone.
“I have no connections with any organisations. I regret the e-mail very much. I sent it out of ignorance.”
After giving his statement, R.D. was arrested on charges of threatening. He is being detained in Bayrampasa prison (Istanbul) to prevent the destruction of evidence.
Meanwhile, Erdal Dogan, a lawyer for the Dink family, said investigations into the murder as well as other events are continuing with great intensity. He pointed out, however, that people who had been arrested for sending threatening messages were always released.
