The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg has found Turkey guilty of failing to prevent the murder of Editor of the Agos daily Hrant Dink and properly conduct an investigation to disclose the crime.

The Turkey-based Milliyet daily reports the Court verdict will be published in the press this September.

Hrant Dink was accused of violating notorious Article 301 of the Turkish criminal code, “insulting Turkishness,” which set the scene for the murder. The causes célèbres were the ones involving Orhan Pamuk, one of the most prominent Turkish novelists and winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature, and Hrant Dink. The former had to leave Turkey, the latter was assassinated near his office in Istanbul in January 2007. As it turned out later, both police and gendarmerie were well informed of the planned crime.

Turkish officials’ actions show they expected the European Court of Human Rights to sustain Hrant Dink’s family claim. To justify themselves, Turkish officials issued certain statements.

During his visit to Baku the Turkish President stated the Government had not taken necessary measures to prevent the crime. A few days later he invited Dink’s brother to his residence.

Turkish FM Ahmet Davutoglu tried to justify himself by stating he had not been informed of or signed the speech for the defense the Turkish Government sent to the European Court. In that document Dink was described as a neonazi.