Assassination Of Hrant Dink

[Aratta-Kingdom]

Panorama.am

 

18:38 20/01/2007

 

WHO WINS WITH THE MURDER OF HRANT DINK?

 

`The political murder of Hrant Dink will have an

affect of political earthquake in Turkey. Turkey's

internal and perhaps external policy will be affected.

That murder will divide the Turkish society in term of

recognition of the Armenian genocide,' Haik Demoyan,

director of the Genocide Institute-Museum, told a

press conference today.

 

All the intellectuals at Hayeli Club admit that

yesterday's murder in Turkey was a result of Turkish

policy in the course of dozens of years. `Dink's

murder was not an attempt by violent young men but

resulted from the policy of Turkey since its

inception,' Azat Yeghiazaryan, director of National

Institute of Literature, said, also saying Dink's

murder was part of a chain which started in Budapest

by a murder of an Armenian officer by an Azeri-turk.

 

Ashot Melkumyan, director of National Institute of

History, is sure that this is a terrorist act

sponsored by Turkish state.

 

Demoyan is sure Turkey will make a political show out

of this murder trying to convince the international

community that she cares for democracy and freedom of

speech. He referred to Turkish prime minister's

condemnation of the fact of murder and his assurance

that murderers will be punished.

 

Asked who wins with the murder of the Turkish-Armenian

publicist, Demoyan and Avagyan said it must be

connected with the internal political situation in

Turkey and the fact that elections are expected in

that country soon.

 

[Aratta-Kingdom]

Armenpress

 

INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY CONDEMNS HRANT DINK'S MURDER

 

YEREVAN, JANUARY 20, ARMENPRESS: The current EU

Presidency held by Germany expressed its "shock" over

the assassination of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant

Dink in Istanbul Friday.

"Hrant Dink was a courageous man whose journalism

was marked by a strong commitment to democracy and

freedom of expression," said an EU Presidency

statement.

It said the presidency was appalled by this

abominable killing, and called on Turkish authorities

to solve the case as quickly as possible.

Dink's murder was condemned strongly by the Amnesty

International. The organization said it believes that

he was targeted because of his work as a journalist

who championed freedom of expression.

"This horrifying assassination silences one of

Turkey's bravest human rights defenders," said Maureen

Greenwood-Basken, Amnesty International USA (AIUSA)

advocacy director for Europe and Central Asia.

The Armenian Assembly of America (AAA) and the

Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA), two

most powerful American Armenian lobby organizations,

expressed their sadness over the tragic murder of one

of the most prominent Armenian voices in Turkey.

"The Armenian Assembly condemns this blatant

political assassination and mourns the loss of an

exceptional human being and civil rights advocate who,

well aware of the personal risks to him, was

determined to serve as a catalyst for mutual

understanding, tolerance and dialogue. Hrant Dink

consistently championed democratic change in Turkey.

He will always be remembered for his strong leadership

and commitment to human rights," AAA said in

statement.

"The Armenian National Committee of America mourns

the loss of Hrant Dink, a leading Istanbul-based

Armenian journalist murdered outside the offices of

his Agos newspaper amid a growing tide of official

Turkish government prosecutions and nationalist

pressure to silence his writings on the Armenian

Genocide. Hrant Dink's murder is tragic proof that the

Turkish government - through its campaign of denial,

threats and intimidation against the recognition of

the Armenian Genocide - continues to fuel the same

hatred and intolerance that initially led to this

crime against humanity more than 90 years ago," said

ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian.

U.S. Congressman Adam Schiff has called on his

House colleagues to join with him in praising Hrant

Dink's courage in confronting the facts of the

Armenian Genocide, and urging the Prime Minister of

Turkey to repeal the law under which Dink was

prosecuted.

Armenian president Robert Kocharian strongly

condemned the killing, saying through a spokesman that

Armenians hope that the Turkish authorities will

identify and punish the assassin.

For his part foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian

condemned Dink's murder and called on Turkish

authorities to take swift action to identify those

responsible.

Also the Global Campaign for Free Expression

expressed its deep shock and sadness over the killing

of Hrant Dink. "Mr. Dink was one of the most outspoken

critics of Turkey's actions between 1915 to 1923 when

hundreds of thousands of Turkey's Armenian population

were killed or driven out of the country.

Increasingly, these events are being referred to as

the Armenian genocide by a range of international and

state actors," it said in a statement.

"I am profoundly shocked and saddened by the murder

of journalist and writer Hrant Dink. I join Prime

Minister Erdogan in condemnation of this heinous crime

and commend his pledge to bring the perpetrators to

justice" said Terry Davis, Secretary General of the

Council of Europe.

"Mr. Dink had the courage to write about a painful

period in the history of both Turkey and the whole

region. His works were always written in a sincere

spirit of reconciliation. Hrant Dink was targeted by

those who hated him for using his freedom of

expression and his freedom as a human being to help

his nation strengthen its commitment to European

values of tolerance and democracy. Mr. Dink will be

remembered for advancing the case of freedom of

expression in his country. It is important that

citizens in every country have the right to discuss

freely their national history," Terry Davis said in a

statement.

On Friday evening, thousands marched down the

street where Hrant Dink was killed, blocking traffic,

carrying posters of Dink and shouting slogans in favor

of free expression.

[Aratta-Kingdom]

Manchester.com, UK

Jan 20 2007

 

Armenian anger at editor's assassination in Turkey

 

20/01/2007

 

Armenian authorities have lashed out against Turkey following the

assassination of a newspaper editor in Istanbul.

 

Hrant Dink, 53, was the editor of Turkey's only Armenian newspaper

Agos.

 

He was gunned down as he was leaving his office in Istanbul yesterday

afternoon. The editor had been a target of threats over his comments

on the genocide of Armenians before the first world war.

 

Turkey has denied that the genocide took place, saying that the

deaths were part of the war. Last year, the editor was convicted for

insulting Turkey for his writings over the alleged genocide.

 

Mr Dink had asked for police protection over the numerous threats

that he had received. In his last editorial, he wrote that he had not

received protection despite his requests.

 

The assassination has prompted protests by thousands of people in

front of the newspaper's offices. The Armenian government has

condemned the attack, with the speaker of the house telling Turkey to

"not even dream" about joining the European Union.

 

[Aratta-Kingdom]

Islamic Republic News Agency, Iran

Jan 20 2007

 

German EU Presidency condemns murder of Turkish-Armenian journalist

 

Berlin, Jan 20, IRNA

Germany-Turkey-Assassination

 

The German European Union Presidency on Saturday condemned the murder

of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink, who was gunned down by an

unknown assailant in Istanbul.

 

"The presidency was shocked to learn of the assassination of the

respected Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink in Istanbul. The

presidency is appalled by this abominable killing and would like to

express its deepest sympathy to the victim's family and friends,"

said the German EU Presidency's press statement.

 

"Hrant Dink was a courageous man whose journalism was marked by his

strong commitment to democracy and freedom of expression and who was

prepared to take great personal risks for his work," it added.

 

The EU communique hailed Dink as "a staunch supporter of democratic

reforms in Turkey."

Dink, who was the editor of the Turkish-Armenian Agos newspaper, was

killed as he left the newspaper's office Friday afternoon.

[Aratta-Kingdom]

Washington Post, DC

Jan 20 2007

 

Turkey's Trouble With Minorities

 

 

Ali Ettefagh - The murder of Hrant Dink in Istanbul by right-wing

extremists may well shatter Turkey's chances of joining the European

Union.

 

The killing of the 53-year-old Armenian journalist and the publisher

of a newspaper for the Armenian community merely intended to open

honest discussion about what Winston Churchill called the first

Holocaust of the 20th Century. In late 1970s, the civil war that

ended in a coup was triggered by a very similar murder of a respected

leftist journalist, Abdi Ipekci, by the rightwing "Gray Wolves"

nationalists. Back in 2000, a highly visible Jewish industrialist and

philanthropist was murdered in Istanbul but the matter was stifled as

economic crises overshadowed the matter.

 

Hran Dink (and 12 other Turkish journalists currently in prison) was

convicted of insulting the ethnic fabric and the "Turkishness" of the

nation, a criminal offence under section 301 of the Turkish Criminal

Code. This is a highly subjective law in Turkey and a topic at the

core of objections by the European Union which insists on fair

treatment of ethnic minorities. The French parliament has demanded

Turkey face its past conduct in respect to the systematic killings of

Armenians back in 1915.

 

Turkey is certainly in a tough fix: Its EU negotiations are frozen in

their tracks. It has a number of prickly issues and disagreements to

overcome with the EU including the issues of human rights,

recognition of ethnic minorities and the resolution of its no-win

position in Cyprus. Concurrently, it worries about the future of an

Iraqi Kurdistan and its own Kurdish population, some one-third of its

citizens. It has a young population base and close to 100% of its GDP

in national debt. Its private sector continues to bet on a one-way

road of entry into EU as it incurs higher levels of debt. With a

civil war on its border, the Turkish government openly supports and

arms the Turkomen minorities in Kirkuk. And it has other interests in

Bosnia and hostile postures towards Armenia and Serbia.

 

The sum of such components can further complicate issues in a region

that is revisiting its religious and ethnic roots, dating back to the

times of the Ottoman Empire and the pre-revolutionary Russia. Turkey

must deal with these ghosts in a frank and transparent manner just as

all other secular countries in Europe have done.

[Aratta-Kingdom]

http://news.independent.co.uk/people/obitu...icle2175034.ece

 

 

The Independent

 

 

Hrant Dink:Armenian champion in Turkey

Published: 22 January 2007

 

 

 

Hrant Dink, journalist: born Malatya, Turkey 15 September 1954; Editor, Agos 1996-2007; married 1972 Rakel Yagbasan (two sons, one daughter), died Istanbul 19 January 2007.

 

 

 

 

'For me, 2007 is likely to be a hard year," the Turkish Armenian journalist Hrant Dink wrote earlier this month. "The trials will continue, new ones will be started. Who knows what other injustices I will be up against?" But with his computer filling up with e-mailed death threats he knew it was only a matter of time, even if he thought he would survive the year. He likened himself to a pigeon, constantly looking around for signs of danger.

 

Dink was gunned down on Friday outside the offices of Agos ("Ploughed Furrow"), the weekly Turkish Armenian paper he edited in central Istanbul. "I have killed the infidel," his murderer was heard to shout.

 

Hrant Dink was the most prominent and controversial ethnic Armenian figure in Turkey. With some 60,000 people, the Armenians are the largest surviving Christian minority in the country, despite a systematic and brutal attempt to exterminate or expel the entire population in the dying days of the Ottoman Empire in what Dink and all other Armenians rightly insist was genocide.

 

That successive Turkish governments have devoted massive resources to denying the genocide has poisoned relations between Turks and Armenians to this day. Yet Dink sought to overcome this legacy, arguing that the Turks of today are different from their Ottoman ancestors who conducted the killings. He also argued that Armenians around the world should no longer see relations with the Turks through the prism of the genocide. "Turkish-Armenian relations should be taken out of a 1915-metres-deep well," he argued.

 

But the Turkish authorities repeatedly tried to intimidate Dink into silence, closing the paper in 2001 and prosecuting him, but he was acquitted. Over the years he faced repeated trials, often under the notorious Article 301 of the Criminal Code which punishes "insulting Turkishness", on one occasion using deliberately twisted evidence.

 

Dink had a troubled childhood. One of a small number of surviving Armenian families in south-east Turkey in what had before the genocide been the heartland of Turkish Armenia, the Dink family disintegrated soon after Hrant's birth through his father's gambling. The young Dink was then cared for by his grandfather, the inspiration throughout his life. Even in primary school the boy objected to the mandatory daily recitation of the patriotic verse "I am a Turk, I am honest, I am hardworking", insisting that he was a Turkish citizen of Armenian origin.

 

When only seven, Dink and his brothers were sent to an Armenian orphanage in Istanbul, where he would meet his future wife. In his final year at an Armenian secondary school in the city he was expelled for his left-wing sympathies and finished his schooling at a Turkish school. In 1972 he legally changed his first name to Firak, which did not give away his ethnic Armenian origin in a highly nationalist country that refuses to embrace its many minorities.

 

Dink took a degree in zoology at Istanbul University, but failed to complete further studies in philosophy. He was occasionally jailed for his leftist activities. He and his wife then ran an Armenian youth camp, but after this he was subjugated to Education Ministry control he moved into journalism. For a decade he ran a bookshop with his brothers, steering clear of political activity.

 

In 1996 he founded Agos, which was published in Turkish and Armenian and came to have an influence beyond its circulation of 6,000. Run collegially, it had its offices in a converted flat that were always crowded and humming with debate. Dink paid particular attention to training young ethnic Armenian journalists, many of whom joined the mainstream Turkish media.

 

Not all in the Armenian community admired Dink's role as its unelected spokesperson. He was not devout and the Armenian patriarch often disagreed with his approach, preferring a quieter line.

 

But Dink was above all a figure in Turkish society as a whole, speaking up for democracy, human rights, free speech and the rights of oppressed groups, including women, Kurds and other ethnic minorities. A fluent Turkish-speaker (some say he was more eloquent in Turkish than Armenian), Dink was a popular interviewee, able to present difficult views directly and imaginatively without alienating his audience.

 

This made his conviction in October 2005 of "insulting Turkishness" and suspended six-month sentence particularly hard to bear. "When I first heard the verdict I found myself under the bitter pressure of my hope that I kept during all the months of the trial. I was stupefied," Dink recalled. "In my view, to humiliate people we live together with on the basis of ethnic or religious difference is called racism and this is something unforgivable."

 

Branding the verdict "a bad joke", he vowed to fight to clear his name. He cried as he spoke of it. "My only weapon is my sincerity."

 

Felix Corley

 

[Arpa]

Anyone remember this thread?

Was it a prophecy?

http://hyeforum.com/index.php?showtopic=10...rmenian+tsunami

[MosJan]

WHAT WERE THE AIMS OF HRANT DINK?

 

“Hrant fought for the democratization of Turkey. He was deeply sure that Turkey would recognize the genocide not because of external but internal pressures as a result of its democratization,” Arsen Avagyan, department head of political programming of the ministry of foreign affairs, told reporters today. “Even the murder of Hrant Dink was the continuation of the cause he fought for and will serve its aims,” Azat Yeghiazaryan, director of national institute of literature, added.

One of the aims of Hrant Dink was to bring the Armenian and Turkish societies closer and he planned to establish a center of Turkish Studies in Yerevan. In the words of Avagyan, Dink had accomplished a lot to that aim and obtained a lot of literature. One of his articles was titled, “The anti-poison for a Turk is an Armenian and for an Armenian – a Turk.” He strongly believed the two nations must lay a bridge between them and tackle problems together.

 

Hakob Movses, writer and translator, said the murder makes us reconsider the relations with Turkey.

[Aratta-Kingdom]

International Herald Tribune

 

Wider involvement suspected in Hrant Dink's assassination

By Sebnem Arsu

 

Sunday, January 21, 2007

 

ISTANBUL

 

Ogun Samast, the 17-year- old youth who was arrested in connection

with the slaying of a leading Turkish journalist, probably would never

have imagined setting foot on a private plane in his life before he

was flown to Istanbul early Sunday to be charged.

 

Described as a quiet but courageous boy by his uncle, Faik Samast, the

youth dropped out of secondary school before graduation. He was

unemployed and came from a lower middle class family from Trabzon, a

Black Sea port town.

 

Why he would want to murder Hrant Dink, an internationally respected

intellectual, remains unclear since Samast had no obvious ties to

militant organizations. People who know him have speculated that he

was put up to the assassination by others who took advantage of his

young age.

 

Named after the Turkish soccer star Ogun Temizkanoglu, the young

Samast aspired to become a soccer player but failed after managers of

the Yenipelitlispor club, listed in the second amateurs' league,

expelled him from the team in 2005 because of his undisciplined

behavior, newspapers wrote.

 

"His father hoped that soccer could make his son more disciplined,"

Hayri Kuk, a team official told NTV. "He refused to accept defeat, but

at the same was totally open to manipulation. He couldn't have done

this alone." Faik Samast, speaking in an interview on NTV Saturday

night, said: "He was a very quiet boy. Some people must have exploited

him."

 

Samast's age and origins in Trabzon are reminiscent of the killing

last year of Andrea Santaro, a Catholic priest, also in Trabzon, by a

16-year-old youth.

 

Kazim Kolcuoglu, head of the Istanbul Bar Association, said that young

people are sometimes used as assassins because they face lower

penalties than adults convicted of the same crime.

 

In addition to Samast, six other men have been detained as suspected

collaborators in the killing, and the police are working to decipher

the links between them.

 

One of the suspects, Yasin Hayal, an alleged Islamic militant who

learned to make bombs from Chechen militants at a camp in Azerbaijan

and who served 11 months in jail for the bombing of a McDonalds

restaurant in Trabzon in 2004, is suspected of masterminding the

attacks on both Dink and Father Santaro.

 

Although early reports suggested that Samast was affiliated with an

ultranationalist group called Nizam-i Alem, or World Order, the

Istanbul head prosecutor said the teenager had no ties with any known

militant organization.

 

The center right Vatan newspaper reported that the teenager had

visited Istanbul five times in 15 days and was accompanied by two

people in his last trip a few days ago.

 

Hurriyet, another center-right paper, quoted his family saying that

Ogun brought lots of cash from Istanbul after a trip more than a week

ago.

 

A nationwide manhunt for the youth had begun when the boy's father

identified his son as the one in the videos.

 

Dressed in the same jean jacket, dark leather shoes and white beret

that he was seen wearing in a surveillance camera video taken just

before the shooting Friday in the Sisli district of Istanbul, Samast

was arrested on a passenger bus as it was leaving the town of Samsun

on the way back to his hometown.

 

Samast confessed to the killing shortly after his arrest, Samsun's

chief prosecutor, Ahmet Gokcinar, told the state-run Anatolian news

agency.

 

He was quoted by the semi-official AA news agency that after he was

unable to meet with Dink at the newspaper, he "went to Friday

prayers. After prayers, I went to the newspaper. At that moment, Hrant

Dink went into a bank. After the bank he went back to the

newspaper. He got startled when he saw me. Ten minutes later, he left

the newspaper. I approached him from behind and shot him from one

meter away. I'm not sorry."

 

[MosJan]

WHO WINS WITH THE MURDER OF HRANT DINK?

 

“The political murder of Hrant Dink will have an affect of political earthquake in Turkey. Turkey’s internal and perhaps external policy will be affected. That murder will divide the Turkish society in term of recognition of the Armenian genocide,” Haik Demoyan, director of the Genocide Institute-Museum, told a press conference today.

 

All the intellectuals at Hayeli Club admit that yesterday’s murder in Turkey was a result of Turkish policy in the course of dozens of years. “Dink’s murder was not an attempt by violent young men but resulted from the policy of Turkey since its inception,” Azat Yeghiazaryan, director of National Institute of Literature, said, also saying Dink’s murder was part of a chain which started in Budapest by a murder of an Armenian officer by an Azeri.

 

Ashot Melkumyan, director of National Institute of History, is sure that this is a terrorist act sponsored by Turkish state.

 

Demoyan is sure Turkey will make a political show out of this murder trying to convince the international community that she cares for democracy and freedom of speech. He referred to Turkish prime minister’s condemnation of the fact of murder and his assurance that murderers will be punished.

 

Asked who wins with the murder of the Turkish-Armenian publicist, Demoyan and Avagyan said it must be connected with the internal political situation in Turkey and the fact that elections are expected in that country soon.

 

Source: Panorama.am

[Aratta-Kingdom]

HRANT DINK : ARMENIAN COMMUNITY & CHURCH COUNCIL OF GREAT BRITAIN

 

_http://www.accc.org.uk/_ (http://www.accc.org.uk/)

 

On behalf of the British Armenian Community of the United Kingdom we

would like to extend our deepest sympathies and condolences to Hrant

Dink's wife and family for their tragic loss.

 

Hrant Dink will also be missed by his extended family of the Armenian

Community worldwide of which he was a prominent and respected member.

 

As a Turkish Citizen, whose family have had roots in Turkey for many

generations, Hrant Dink belonged to that group of Turkish

intellectuals, together with people such as Orhan Pamuk and Ragip

Zarakolu, who strived for the emancipation of the Turkish people, the

introduction of freedom of expression in Turkey and the development of

Turkey into a State which would qualify for entry into the European

Union.

 

As a Turkish Citizen Hrant Dink's vision of an enlightened Turkey

included the ability of Turkish people to look at their history and

recognise the mistakes and crimes committed in the past. Instead of

blind denial of historical truths, to allow for free discussion in the

Turkish Press and the recognition and condemnation of the Armenian

Genocide.

 

If Hrant Dink was assassinated because of his progressive ideas for

the good of Turkey, then that is a loss for Turkey. Until

free-thinking people like Hrant Dink, Pamuk and Zarakolu are allowed

to express their opinions without legal restraints in Turkey, then

Turkey cannot claim to be part of the Free World.

 

If Hrant Dink was assassinated because he was an Armenian and for his

active efforts for Turkey to allow free discussion of the Armenian

Genocide, then he has become a victim of Turkish Racism and Extreme

Nationalism. Hrant Dink's life will have become simply one more

Armenian life to be added to the 1.5 Million murdered Armenian lives

for which Turkey is responsible and for which it must give proper

account. Turkey must address the undeniable historical facts,

recognizing the crimes of its predecessors and must condemn them as

Genocide.

 

Until that day arrives, every Armenian in this World is another "Hrant

Dink" demanding justice for the crimes committed upon their people in

Turkey.

 

If the outpouring of grief and anger of the demonstrators in Istanbul

immediately following the assassination of Dink is indicative of a

potential change of mental attitudes, then there may be hope for

Turkey yet.

 

[MosJan]

SCHIFF CONDEMNS THE MURDER OF JOURNALIST, HRANT DINK, IN TURKEY AND MOURNS HIS LOSS

 

Schiff drafting letter to Turkish Prime Minister calling for a complete investigation

 

Washington, D.C. – Representative Adam Schiff today mourned the loss of one of Turkey’s most prominent Armenian journalists, who was shot to death outside his newspaper’s office in Istanbul. Hrant Dink was a vocal critic of the Turkish government and a leading voice in calling for Armenian Genocide recognition. In 2003, on a trip to Turkey, Rep. Schiff met with Mr. Dink to discuss his efforts on Genocide recognition and press freedom issues.

 

"From the moment I met Mr. Dink, I could tell that he was an incredibly courageous man who cared deeply about history and freedom of the press," Schiff said. "His death is a great loss for all those who cherish free speech, and my thoughts and prayers are with his family at this very difficult time."

 

Rep. Schiff is drafting a letter to the Turkish Prime Minister this morning calling on him to investigate Mr. Dink’s murder and to ensure that this crime is solved and that those responsible are brought to justice.

 

"The silencing of such a prominent and outspoken voice is not only a personal tragedy; it is also a tragedy for those who believe in a free and unfettered press, and for those who are committed to a thoughtful examination of the past," Schiff wrote in the letter. "Hrant Dink had the courage to confront the facts of the Armenian Genocide, and that courage may have cost him his life."

 

Recently, Mr. Dink was featured in a documentary film "Screamers," which raises awareness of the Armenian Genocide and calls for its recognition. Schiff also appeared in the film. In October 2005, Mr. Dink was found guilty for the crime of "insulting Turkishness" and was given a six-month suspended sentence after writing about the Armenian Genocide. In 2006, Mr. Dink was awarded the Norwegian Bjornson prize by the Bjornson Academy, which was established to protect freedom of expression.

 

Rep. Schiff, a member of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, represents the largest constituency of Armenians outside of Armenia. In 2005, Rep. Schiff authored legislation that passed the House International Relations Committee that recognized the Armenian Genocide. However, the bill did not receive a vote on the House Floor, and Rep. Schiff plans to reintroduce similar legislation this year.

 

Rep. Schiff also co-chairs the Congressional Caucus for Freedom of the Press which aims to support freedom of the press around the world and draw attention to and condemn media censorship and the persecution of journalists.

 

Rep. Schiff was recently appointed to serve on the House Appropriations Committee in the 110th Congress and is a member of its State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Subcommittee and the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Subcommittee. He also serves on the House Judiciary Committee. He represents California’s 29th Congressional District, which includes the communities of Alhambra, Altadena, Burbank, East Pasadena, East San Gabriel, Glendale, Monterey Park, Pasadena, San Gabriel, South Pasadena and Temple City.

 

Sean Oblack, Press Secretary, Congressman Adam Schiff (CA-29), 202-226-8348 direct, 202-225-3278 cell

[Aratta-Kingdom]

International Federation of Journalists press release, Brussels,

19 Jan 2007

 

 

WATCHDOG IFJ CONDEMNS "INTOLERANT CULTURE" AFTER JOURNALIST'S KILLING

IN TURKEY

 

 

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today condemned the

killing of Hrant Dink, an outspoken Turkish-Armenian journalist, who

they say has fallen victim to a "culture of intolerance" in Turkey

which made him the target of nationalist extremists.

 

Dink, the editor of the newspaper Agos, was shot outside his offices

in Istanbul. Just over a year ago he was given a six-month suspended

sentence in October 2005 after writing about the Armenian "genocide"

of 1915.

 

The Turkish Journalists' Union also condemned the murder, saying:

"This attack has targeted directly the freedom of press and

expression. It is a profoundly provocative political murder. It will

not be enough to find only the killers. It is an obligation of Turkey

to bring also those who planned and agitated this attack to justice."

 

The IFJ is supporting its affiliate's call for action.

 

"This man has been the target of abuse and threats ever since he

dared to express an opinion that challenges an established

orthodoxy," said Aidan White, IFJ general secretary. "It is

scandalous that he appears to have become the victim of a culture of

intolerance that remains deeply rooted in parts of society."

 

Dink, 53, was a prominent Armenian voice and had received threats

from nationalists who viewed him as a traitor, according to local

news reports. He had expressed concern over what he described as the

hatred some Turks had for him.

 

He wrote about what Armenians say was the massacre by Ottoman Turks

of hundreds of thousands of Armenians in 1915. However, Turkey

strongly denies any genocide, and says the deaths were a consequence

of World War One.

 

"This is a great tragedy for journalism. The loss of a committed

journalist touches us all," said White. "But the impact of this

killing goes beyond deep personal loss and strikes at the heart of

free expression rights and the quality of democratic exchange in

Turkey."

 

[MosJan]

Memorial Event To Take Place In Yerevan Today

20.01.2007 17:21 GMT+04:00 Print version Send to mail In Russian In Armenian

 

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Tonight at 19:30 PM there will be a candlelight vigil to mark the death of Hrant Dink, the gathering will be held at Charles Aznavur Square across from Moscow cinema, told member of initiative group, AIPRG (Armenian International Police Research Group) expert Richard Giragosian the PanARMENIAN.Net correspondent. “Please come with candles and bring your friends,” said R. Giragosian.

 

[MosJan]

Decision on Killing Hrant Dink was Made by ‘The State Within The State’

20.01.2007 16:55 GMT+04:00 Print version Send to mail In Russian In Armenian

 

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Organization ‘Grey Wolves’ can be involved in Hrant Dink’s assassination, told specialist in Turkic philology Ruben Safrastyan, director of the Institute of Oriental Studies of Armenian NAS (National Academy of Sciences) the PanARMRNIAN.Net journalist. In his words, ‘Grey Wolves’ can be only performers of the crime, and the customers should be looked for in higher echelons of power, which tries to keep the model founded by Kemal Atatürk. The ‘state within the state’ consists of leaders of political parties, representatives of big business, army, and intellectuals. This is a portion of Turkish society, which by all means tries to enclose the country from Islamists at the head of Prime Minister Erdoghan,” Safrastyan stressed.

 

Alongside the specialist in Turkic philology did not exclude a possible attack on Nobel Prize winner and writer Orhan Pamuk, who has also spoken about the Armenian Genocide. It is worth mentioning that the PanARMENIAN.Net journalist’s all efforts to contact Pamuk were useless. In Safrastyan’s opinion, most probably Pamuk has already departed from Turkey.

 

[MosJan]

Turkish Government Members to be Present At Hrant Dink’s Funeral

20.01.2007 16:26 GMT+04:00 Print version Send to mail In Russian In Armenian

 

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkish Government Members will be present at the funeral of Hrant Dink, stated Turkish Prime Minister Rejep Tayyep Erdoghan. He expressed his condolences to the family and friends of the journalist and promised to find the murderers. “We must investigate all aspects of this crime,” Erdoghan stressed.

 

Editor-in-Chief of bilingual Armenian-Turkish ‘Agos’ weekly Hrant Dink was shot dead near his editorial office in the center of Istanbul yesterday. Turkish police has arrested 8 suspects for Dink’s assassination. Armenia, U.S.A., Germany, Council of Europe, OSCE and Armenian Diaspora worldwide have condemned Hrant Dink’s assassination.

 

[Aratta-Kingdom]

Hrant Dink’s assassination: “How happy is the one who calls himself Turkish Terrorist"

 

 

Saturday, January 20, 2007

 

KurdishMedia.com - By Hadi Elis

 

The peoples of Turkey have lost a brother, a friend, Journalist Hrant Dink, “An Armenian of Turkish Citizen" who said this sentence, and that caused his death.

 

“How Happy is the one who calls himself Turkish Terrorist."

 

Yes, few “Happy Turkish Terrorist" killed a fine Gentleman in a very cowardice “Turkish Way" - shoot from behind.

 

"A bullet has been fired at democracy and freedom of expression," Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan told a hastily convened news conference as news of Dink's murder spread.

 

No shame to talk about “Democracy and Freedom of Expression" where Mr. Dink was taken to court for saying “I am no Turk, I am an Armenian of Turkish citizen." A court in Istanbul, were trial resumed for sometime sentenced him for three years in prison recently. His crime was “insulting Turkishness", and let see now Who Insulted Turkishness with Martyring him?

 

"I'm living together with Turks in this country," Dink told the AP. "I don't think I could live with an identity of having insulted them in this country ... if I am unable to come up with a positive result, it will be honorable for me to leave this country."

 

The attack on Dink was an attack on Turkey and on Turkish unity and stability, Mr Erdogan said, adding that the "dark hands" behind the killing would be brought to justice.

 

Dark Hands? What Dark Hands you talking about Sir, you are the PM of the country called Turkey that some of your citizens has Dark Hands. You should call "Ripley's believe it or not" about this.

 

Yes PM Tayyip Erdogan, the killers - the happy Turkish Terrorists - will be brought to the Justice (?) as soon as your government learns what is justice, and do the Job of going after them, so the so-called security forces could be send after the other "Happy Turkish Terrorists" who killed Musa Anter, MP Mehmet Sincar, Vedat Aydin,Bedrettin Comert, Cavit Orhan Tutengil, Ugur Mumcu, Ahmet Taner Kislali, Bahriye Ucok, Dogan Oz, Ali Gaffar Okan, and countless many others, the Turkish X Files.

 

"We strongly condemn hateful attack against Hrant Dink (editor-in-chief of bilingual Turkish-Armenian weekly Agos)," Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit said. Gen. Buyukanit released a statement noting that they hoped that those who staged the attack would be found as soon as possible.

 

Thank you Gen. Buyukanit. They will be found in 2107 when it was OK to release the State documents about the un-concluded investigation, like many other thousands of them prviously left to be dusted on shelves.

 

He added that bullets fired at Dink were also fired at Turkey. No, I don't think so. The Bullets were not fired at Turkey, but in Turkey. You know why? Because the ones, who did it, knew very well that they will get away with it.

 

Of course few minor guilty ones will be arrested and charged. However the real guilty guys/gals will be left to be forgotten in to the Dark Days of the History.

 

Once former PM Tansu Cille said, “The ones who fires bullets, and as well the got hit by bullets for this country are a hero of Turkey". I am of the opinion that none of the "hero" will be found guilty in my life time.

 

The Ankara-based Turkish think tank USAK, like many other Turkish NGOs has also condemned the murder. Dr. Sedat Laciner, head of the USAK said, "The target was not Hrant but Turkey".

 

The target was not Turkey; the target was in Turkey. Why on Earth some “Happy Turkish Terrorists" would want to hurt Turkey. They are doing this for Turkey, as PM Tansu Ciller said.

 

Thousands of Turkish people have rallied in Istanbul to protest at the murder of a prominent Turkish-Armenian journalist, Hrant Dink, outside his office.

 

"We are all Armenians, we are all Hrant Dink," the crowd chanted.

 

If you are all Armenian in Turkey, then who conducted the genocide of the Armenians? Did Armenians kill Armenians?

 

Dink, who edited the bilingual Turkish-Armenian newspaper AGOS, said in his last column on Jan. 10 that he had become famous as an enemy of Turks and had received no protection from authorities despite his numerous complaints about the threats against him.

 

"My computer's memory is loaded with sentences full of hatred and threats," Dink wrote. "I am just like a pigeon. ... I look around to my left and right, in front and behind me as much as it does. My head is just as active."

 

He ended the column by predicting this would be a difficult year, but he would survive it. "For me, 2007 is likely to be a hard year. The trials will continue, new ones will be started. Who knows what other injustices I will be up against," he wrote.

 

Yes Mr. Dink, and an injustice done against a white Peace Pigeon.

 

A colleague at Dink's newspaper, Aydin Engin, said that Dink had attributed the threats to elements in the "deep state," a Turkish term that implies shadowy, deeply nationalist and powerful elements in the government.

 

Yes, and that's the Real Republic of Turkey

 

"I am deeply saddened by the assassination of Hrant Dink in front of the Agos newspaper. I strongly condemn this ugly and shameful act," declared President Ahmet Necdet Sezer.

 

Thank you Mr. President.

 

However these atrocities have been conducted again and again "ugly and shameful” was conducted by some Turks who believes, "How Happy is the one calls himself Turkish Terrorist", and some of these happy Turks mutilate the dead or alive captured Kurdish guerillas. Please visit the link to see them

 

 

[Aratta-Kingdom]

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL USA

PRESS RELEASE

 

http://www.amnestyusa.org/news/document.do...GUSA20070119001

 

 

Amnesty International Condemns Murder of Hrant Dink

 

[Aratta-Kingdom]

USA National Council of Churches Condemns Murder of Turkish-Armenian Editor, Calls for Justice

 

 

 

New York City, January 19, 2007--The murder this morning of Hrant Dink in Istanbul, Turkey "is a devastating development," said Archbishop Vicken Aykazian, diocesan legate and ecumenical officer, Diocese of the Armenian Orthodox Church of America. "The Armenian people around the world are mourning his death," said Archbishop Aykazian, who is also president-elect of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA (NCC).

 

Dink, 53, was owner/editor of Agos, the largest weekly Turkish-Armenian newspaper in Istanbul. Dink and Archbishop Aykazian, a Turkish-born Armenian, were lifelong friends having attended the same seminary school together.

 

"He's the latest victim of the Turkish genocide of the Armenian people that began in 1915," said Archbishop Aykazian. "He died because he had the courage to say there was a genocide" by the Ottoman Turks against Armenians, he said.

 

Dink had been convicted of insulting Turkish identity for publicly writing about the Armenian genocide and was given a suspended sentence. New laws in Turkey forbid negative public statements criticizing the country.

 

"The NCC calls on the U.S. State Department to use whatever influence possible to make sure this political assassination is fully investigated with courage and clarity," said the Rev. Bob Edgar, the NCC's general secretary. "The Turkish government must show it will defend the rights and the lives of religious and ethnic minorities," Edgar said. The archbishop said Pope Benedict called for protection of religious minorities during his November visit to Turkey.

 

Archbishop Aykazian recalled a recent trip to Los Angeles with Dink where they spoke to members of the Armenian community.

 

"Hrant said he was not afraid for himself," said the archbishop, "but he was afraid for his children."

 

News reports said Dink had spoken of the possibility of leaving Turkey because he felt he was no longer welcome in his own country.

 

"I am praying for my friend and colleague, Archbishop Vicken," said the Rev. Michael Livingston, president of the NCC and executive director of the International Council of Community Churches. "This is a time for us to hold in prayer all of the Armenian people."

 

Last September Archbishop Aykazian and the Rev. Edgar led a mission trip to Armenia with Habitat for Humanity.

 

"We learned a lot about the Armenian people during our ten days there," said Edgar. "They are proud to be recognized as the first Christian country and they are determined to stand firm against genocide because they know firsthand its effects," he said.

 

The Turkish prime minister went on national television condemning the murder and announced two suspects were in custody, according to news reports.

 

Archbishop Aykazian will automatically become president of the NCC in January 2008. The NCC is America's ecumenical voice of 35 Orthodox, Protestant, Anglican, historic African American and traditional peace denominations. Together those churches represent 45 million members in 100,000 congregations.

 

[Aratta-Kingdom]

PRESS RELEASE

 

Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Information Services

January 22, 2007

 

 

 

Requiem Service Offered in Holy Etchmiadzin for Hrant Dink

 

On Sunday, January 21, a solemn Repose of Souls service was offered in

memory of slain journalist and human rights advocate Hrant Dink in the

Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin by His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme

Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians. Dink, editor of the bilingual

Agos weekly, was brutally assassinated in Istanbul, Turkey on Friday

afternoon, January 19.

 

During the celebration of the Divine Liturgy, a special sermon was delivered

by Very Rev. Fr. Sahak Mashalian, Assistant Dean of the Gevorkian

Theological Seminary. Fr. Sahak, originally from Istanbul and a member of

the Brotherhood of Holy Etchmiadzin, spoke on the value of truth and justice

as well as the life and legacy of Hrant Dink.

 

Present for the Divine Liturgy and Requiem Service were Minister of Foreign

Affairs of the Republic of Armenia Vartan Oskanian, members of the Istanbul

Armenian community, high ranking clergymen and countless faithful.

 

The funeral service for Hrant Dink will take place in Istanbul at the St.

Mary Mother of God Cathedral of the Armenian Patriarchate of

Constantinople. His Holiness Karekin II has appointed His Eminence Khajag

Barsamian, Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America

(Eastern), to participate in the funeral and burial services, representing

the Catholicosate of All Armenians and the Brotherhood of Holy Etchmiadzin.

 

[Aratta-Kingdom]

Watch it on YouTube

 

 

The Widow of Hrant Dink Hounded by Turkish Reporters

 

 

 

 

 

The Europen Union Response

 

 

 

 

Al Jazeera

 

 

 

 

[Boghos]

I am too very saddened by the assassination of Hrant Dink.While in Istanbul in the late 90s I tried to contact him during the very few days I stayed there but to no avail.

 

But, ladies and gentlemen, this thread gives good insights on our collective mind: it is not enough mourning Dink, we need also to stone one of our own, in that case Mutafyan.I can´t be bothered having an opinion about every single Armenian on Earth, much less Mutafyan whom I think completely inconsequential.The criticism to armchair warriors is befitting here.

 

Moreover, we are prone to this Quixotesque attacks on windmills.Given Turkey´s history of torture, assassinations and similar acts I am actually surprised that Mr.Dink has remained alive for so long.Also,I can understand why there are still Armenians in Turkey.After all, peoples circumstances are not only dictated by their ethnicity.

 

I have no doubt that were it for the hard core sectors of the Turkish military, security services and the right to ultra right, there would be no Armenians in Turkey and probably not Armenia as well.This is how they think.So, whether an extremist acted alone or sponsored by sectors of the Turkish State that is meaningless.Thousands of Turks could have easily taken the place of the killer. I will not be surprised if in the near future he, the murderer, is celebrated in circles that in other countries would be quite small but in Turkey are near mainstream.

Edited January 22, 2007 by Boghos

[Armenak]

Boghos, I'm surprised too. Fortunately, for some reason, they did not kick out the Armenians during the Istanbul Pogrom, which pretty much put an end to the city's Greek community. That must have been terrible.

[Yervant1]

 

you just have to fallow the events and I'm 100% sure some day, and in likly event near future this shit would surfece and I/m bigining to suspect who is behind this.

 

another question, why is Isreal so interested in Independent Kurdistan? who are does dog kurds? and why is Isreal so interested in it

Edward I already gave my opinion about this in this thread with posts #79 & #81, as for your last question because Turkey wants to be a major league team, no more a minor team being told what to do.

Therefore they need a new minor league team who would shut up and do as told for a long time to come.

Also who would give them some control in Iraq, Shias, Sunnis no chance that leaves the Kurds.

[Aratta-Kingdom]

Accomplice in Dink Murder Trained in Chechen Camp in Azerbaijan?

 

22.01.2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The investigators of Hrant Dink’s assassination informed that a group of nationalist teenagers are involved in the crime. The criminal grouping was headed by Yasin Hayal, who was earlier tried for setting a bomb at a McDonald's in Trabzon. According to Milliyet newspaper, 17-year-old Ogün Samast, arrested yesterday over suspicion of Dink’s killing, received the gun from Hayal. At that both were members of the “Center of Islamic Order” ultra-right organization. The edition reminds that after the arrest in Trabzon Hayal shouted out in the court, “I did it to punish Americans. I’ll get free in three years and will blow up HSBC Bank and the Russian Consulate.”

 

Meanwhile Istanbul Prosecutor Aykut Cengiz Engin told journalists on Sunday that the investigation did not reveal involvement of any organization in Dink’s killing. “The investigation is carried out in all directions. Presently seven people are being interrogated,” he said. Samast said he committed the crime because of the journalist’s writing. I am not sorry, he added, reports RIA Novosti.

 

International Herald Tribune says Yasin Hayal was trained to make bombs at a camp of Chechen militants in Azerbaijan.