ISTANBUL (Hetq)–The Sisli First Criminal Court of First Instance in Istanbul has sentenced Muhammet Karay to 3 years 3 months imprisonment for sending an email message containing threats against employees of the Turkish-Armenian weekly Agos newspaper on 25 January 2007, six days after the murder of the newspaper’s editor Hrant Dink.
According to the Turkish Bianet News, Karay had threatened to kill Agos employees in the email, as well as Armenians in general. Following the complaint of former newspaper licence holder Serkis Seropyan, the newspaper’s lawyers applied to the court.
The court, headed by Judge Mithat Ali Kabaali, argued that the defendant had “created deep fear and worry”. Citing Article 106/2 (b) of the Turkish Penal Code, which deals with threats, it handed down the sentence on Thursday, 28 May.
The court pointed out that Karay had hidden his identity and had threatened anonymously.
The lawyers for the newspaper said in a written statement that they were pleased that the court had gone beyond the minimum sentence of two years, thus setting an example.
