Turkey to release Dink's murderer

A law prescribing from 1.5 to 2 years' arrest period for accused individuals will be incorporated into Turkey's Criminal Procedure Code on December 3, 2010, Turkish daily reports Aksam, characterizing the event as a new "bingo" for Ogun Samast, the assassinator of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink.

After the entry into force of the new law, the court will make a decision to release Samast who has been under arrest for 3 years and 9 months already.

Earlier, meeting Samast's lawyer half-way, the Istanbul court decided to mitigate Samast's punishment, by considering him a minor at the time of committing the crime.

This decision will reduce Samast's sentence for 5 years.