Turkish exhibit curator in Russian diplomat slaying denies Gulenist ties
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — The organizer of the exhibition where Russian Ambassador to Turkey Andrei Karlov was assassinated in 2016 argued that he was not a Gulenist nor was the event arranged by the organization.
"I don’t know who organized the assassination, I know that the movement led by [Fethullah] Gulen had no relation to the exhibition which I organized myself. I received no instructions about that. The idea and concept of the exhibition are mine," Timur Ozkan was quoted by Turkey's Cumhuriyet as saying during a court hearing on Thursday.
"I love my homeland and my nation, but I was accused of cooperating with an illegal religious organization. Not only is this inadmissible, but also shameful for me," he added.
Twenty-eight suspects — many in absentia — went on trial this week before the Ankara 2nd High Criminal Court. The prosecution has alleged that the conspirators are followers of Fethullah Gulen, a cleric living in self-imposed exile in the United States.
On Thursday, the court issued an arrest warrant for Abdulsamet Kekec who did not appear at the trial.
Ambassador Karlov, 62, was shot and died by an off-duty Turkish police officer at the photo exhibition on December 19, 2016.
Turkey was in a state of emergency following the failed military coup of July 2016.
Gulen denies any links to the coup or to the murder which Ankara argues was conducted to sew diplomatic "chaos" between Turkey and Russia.
Capital punishment is an option in the Turkish judicial system.
"I don’t know who organized the assassination, I know that the movement led by [Fethullah] Gulen had no relation to the exhibition which I organized myself. I received no instructions about that. The idea and concept of the exhibition are mine," Timur Ozkan was quoted by Turkey's Cumhuriyet as saying during a court hearing on Thursday.
Ozkan said he is a retired architect who has written two books on Russia. The exhibit where Karlov was slain was part of a collection that began in 2011.
"I love my homeland and my nation, but I was accused of cooperating with an illegal religious organization. Not only is this inadmissible, but also shameful for me," he added.
Twenty-eight suspects — many in absentia — went on trial this week before the Ankara 2nd High Criminal Court. The prosecution has alleged that the conspirators are followers of Fethullah Gulen, a cleric living in self-imposed exile in the United States.
On Thursday, the court issued an arrest warrant for Abdulsamet Kekec who did not appear at the trial.
Ambassador Karlov, 62, was shot and died by an off-duty Turkish police officer at the photo exhibition on December 19, 2016.
Turkey was in a state of emergency following the failed military coup of July 2016.
Gulen denies any links to the coup or to the murder which Ankara argues was conducted to sew diplomatic "chaos" between Turkey and Russia.
Capital punishment is an option in the Turkish judicial system.