Jump to content

Assassination Of Hrant Dink


iminhokis

Recommended Posts

U.S. SENATE COMMITTEE ADOPTED RESOLUTION CONDEMNING HRANT DINK’S MURDER

 

*

 

article's photo

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee adopted human rights legislation, authored by the panel's chairman and presidential candidate, Senator Joe Biden, condemning the murder of journalist and human rights activist Hrant Dink and calling on the Turkish government to repeal the law, Article 301, under which he was prosecuted. The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) reports that this measure was adopted unanimously by voice vote March 28. At the last meeting, on March 6th, the panel, at the request of its Ranking Member Richard Lugar, had deferred consideration of the legislation for three weeks. Despite the efforts to cut any reference to the Armenian Genocide, the resolution noted Dink's persecution because of his speech on the Genocide. The legislation condemns Hrant Dink's murder as “a shameful act of “democratic values, non-violence, and media freedom.” It specifically notes that he was “subjected to legal action under Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code for referring to the 1915 massacre of Armenians as genocide.” It also calls on the Turkish government to repeal this anti-free speech law and “work diligently to foster a more open intellectual environment.” “We want to thank Chairman Biden for his leadership in honoring Hrant Dink's memory by urging the Turkish government to repeal Article 301 - the law under which he was prosecuted,” ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian said. The version of the resolution adopted on March 28 is an amended version of the text initially introduced by Senator Biden. The original version included a more direct reference to the Armenian Genocide and a more pointed mention of Turkey's responsibility for its blockade and refusal to normalize relations with Armenia. The State Department and Turkish government, despite their aggressive lobbying, were unsuccessful in removing reference to the Armenian Genocide from the resolution. Earlier ANCA Press Secretary Elizabeth Chouldjian said removing the term “genocide” from the text of resolution is unacceptable and makes the document senseless.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

SENATE PANEL ADOPTS BIDEN RESOLUTION HONORING HRANT DINK

 

*

 

article's photo

more images WASHINGTON, DC - The Senate Foreign Relations Committee today adopted human rights legislation, authored by the panel's chairman and presidential candidate, Senator Joe Biden (D-DE), condemning the murder of journalist and human rights activist Hrant Dink and calling on the Turkish government to repeal the law, Article 301, under which he was prosecuted, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA). The measure was adopted unanimously by voice vote at today's meeting of the Committee. At its last meeting, on March 6th, the panel, at the request of its Ranking Member Richard Lugar (R-IN), had deferred consideration of the legislation for three weeks. During this time, the measure came under heavy attack from both the Turkish government and its allies in the Administration. Despite their efforts to cut any reference to the Armenian Genocide, the resolution noted Dink's persecution because of his speech on the Genocide. The legislation condemns Hrant Dink's murder as "a shameful act of cowardice perpetrated with contempt for law, justice, and decency," and honors his commitment to "democratic values, non-violence, and media freedom." It specifically notes that he was "subjected to legal action under Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code for referring to the 1915 massacre of Armenians as genocide." It also calls on the Turkish government to repeal this anti-free speech law and "work diligently to foster a more open intellectual environment." "We want to thank Chairman Biden for his leadership in honoring Hrant Dink's memory by urging the Turkish government to repeal Article 301 - the law under which he was prosecuted," said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. "Article 301, and others on the books in Turkey, reflect and encourage the environment of hatred and intolerance that the Turkish government has long fostered against Armenians - particularly those who speak truthfully about the Armenian Genocide." "We were, of course, troubled by the Turkish Government and State Department's shameless opposition to this resolution condemning the murder of Hrant Dink," added Hamparian. "We look forward to working with Chairman Biden in the coming weeks toward the adoption of the Armenian Genocide resolution and in sending a clear signal that genocide denial will not be tolerated by the U.S. Congress or the American people." The Armenian Genocide resolution (S.Res.106) was introduced by Ensign (R-NV) and currently has 25 cosponsors. Its companion bill in the House, H.Res.106, introduced by Representatives Adam Schiff (D-CA), George Radanovich (R-CA), Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Joe Knollenberg (R-MI), Brad Sherman (D-CA), and Thaddeus McCotter (R- MI), currently has over 180 cosponsors. In the days leading up to today's vote, ANCA activists in the twenty-one states with Senators on the Committee encouraged support for S.Res.65 through phone calls, faxes, and meetings. They also reminded Senate offices that Hrant Dink's brutal murder is a wake up call for the U.S. Senate to pass S.Res.106. Hrant Dink, editor of the bilingual Armenian/Turkish "Agos" newspaper, was gunned down outside his office in Istanbul on January 19th - sparking worldwide protests and renewed scrutiny of Turkey's repression of free speech and international campaign of Armenian Genocide denial. The version of S.Res. 65 adopted today was an amended version of the text initially introduced by Senator Biden. The original version included a more direct reference to the Armenian Genocide and a more pointed mention of Turkey's responsibility for its blockade and refusal to normalize relations with Armenia. The State Department and Turkish government, despite their aggressive lobbying, were unsuccessful in removing reference to the Armenian Genocide from the resolution. Similar legislation has been introduced in the U.S. House by Congressman Joe Crowley (D-NY).

*

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

TURKEY “CONDEMNED” U.S. SENATE FOR ADOPTING RES. 65 THAT CONDEMNS HRANT DINK’S MURDER

 

*

 

article's photo

Turkey “condemned” the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee for adopting the resolution that condemns the murder of Agos weekly editor-in-chief Hrant Dink. “It is quite clear the inclusion of this resolution into the Senate agenda pursued the goal to speculate this mean crime for political purposes touching upon the events of 1915,” the statement of Turkish MFA says. The Foreign Affairs Ministry of Turkey also reminds that the Turkish government sharply condemned Dink’s assassination, RFE/RL reports. Yesterday U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee adopted human rights legislation, condemning the murder of journalist and human rights activist Hrant Dink and calling on the Turkish government to repeal the law, Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code. The document noted Dink's persecution because of his speech on the Armenian Genocide. It specifically notes that Dink was “subjected to legal action under Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code for referring to the 1915 massacre of Armenians as genocide.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

ՀՐԱՆՏ ԴԻՆՔԻ ՍՊԱՆՈՒԹՅԱՆ ԳՈՐԾՈՎ ԹՈՒՐՔԻԱՅՈՒՄ ՔԱՂԱՔԱԿԱՆ ԳՈՐԾԻՉ Է ՁԵՐԲԱԿԱԼՎԵԼ

 

Թուրքիայում Հրանտ Դինքի սպանությանը մասնակցելու կասկածանքով ձերբակալել է աջ ծայրահեղական քաղաքական գործիչ: Այս մասին հաղորդում է "Кавказский узел"-ը: Աղբյուրի հաղորդմամբ, մեծ միասնության պահպանողական- ազգայնական կուսակցության տեղական կառույցի ղեկավար Յասար Սիհանը ձերբակալվել է Տրապիզոն քաղաքում: Հիշեցնենք, որ Հրանտ Դինքի սպանության գործի շրջանակներում Թուրքիայում արդեն ձերբակալվել են 10 հոգի:

 

Աղբյուր` Panorama.am

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

HEAD OF TRABZON POLICE'S ANTI-TERRORISM DEPARTMENT DISMISSED BY THE CASE OF DINK

 

*

 

"Birgun" newspaper, Turkey, informs that the head of the Anti-Terrorism Department of the Trabzon Police, Yahya Ozturk has been dismissed from his office. As it is known, the orderer of the murder Yasin Hayal has stated that murderer Erhan Tuncel's actions was directed by Ozturk, who said to him: "Our flag has been defamed. It is you and Yasin to raise it anew". Already two months ago an investigation based upon this evidence was conducted.

 

Although "Birgun" notices that Ozturk was dismissed only in two months after the investigation, a great part in the case belonged to the evidence given by the Inner Affairs Ministry of Turkey.

 

In the meanwhile the social organizations and professional unions intend to organize a protest action on May 15 in front of the "Agos" editors' office, the spot of Dink's murder, in the frameworks of the "I Haven't Lost My Hope Yet" initiative. That will be the second protest action against the prolongation of the trial of the murder of Hrant Dink.

* By H. Chaqrian

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Armenian Reporter, Feb. 10, 2006

 

© 2006 Armenian Reporter

 

“My Turkishness in Revolt”

 

By Taner Akçam

 

EDITOR’S NOTE: Taner Akçam – Turkish intellectual, professor at the University of Minnesota, and the author of A Shameful Act: The Armenian Genocide and the Question of Turkish Responsibility – recently became the subject of a formal complaint under Turkey’s Penal Code Article 301: the same “crime” of “insulting Turkishness” for which Hrant Dink was tried and found guilty by the Turkish judiciary. The essay below – originally published as Türklüğümün İsyanı (”The Revolt of My Turkishness”) in the January 24, 2007 edition of the Turkish newspaper, Radikal – is Mr. Akçam’s approved English translation of his original Turkish-language article. It is being reprinted in the Reporter with the author’s permission.

 

I am a Turk. Hrant was an Armenian. I write for Agos. He was Agos. Hrant, Agos’s Turkish writers, and Agos itself risked everything for a cause: to cease the hostility between Turks and Armenians; to bring the resentment and hatred to an end. We wanted each group, each nationality, to live together on the common ground of mutual respect.

 

Hrant and Agos were a single flower blooming on the barren plains of Turkey. That flower was destroyed, torn from the ground. Everyone says, “The bullet fired at Hrant hit Turkey.” That’s true, but we need to ask ourselves in complete and transparent honesty: Who made the target for that bullet? Who targeted Hrant so the bullet would find its mark? Who held him fast so the shot wasn’t wasted?

 

Hrant wasn’t killed by a lone 17-year-old. He was murdered by those who made him a target and held him in place.

 

Nor was he killed by a single bullet. It was the targeting, month by month, that murdered him.

 

“I’m afraid,” he said on January 5. “I’m very afraid, Taner. The attacks on me and on Agos are very systematic. They called me to the Governor’s office, where they started making threats. They said, ‘We’ll make you pay for everything you’ve been doing.’ All the attacks began after I was threatened.”

 

“2007 is going to be a bad year, Taner,” he continued. “They’re not going to ease off. We’ve been made into a horrible target. Between the press, the politicians, and the lawyers, they’ve created this atmosphere that’s so poisonous, they’ve made us such an obscenity, that we’ve become sitting ducks.

 

“They’ve opened up hunting season, Taner, and they’ve got us right where they want us.”

 

Hrant wasn’t killed by a 17-year-old. He was murdered by those who portrayed him as an enemy of Turkey, every single day in the press, to that 17-year-old. He was murdered by those who dragged him to the doors of the courthouse under Article 301. He was murdered by those who aimed Article 301 during their open season on intellectuals, and by those who didn’t have the courage to change Article 301. Hrant was murdered by those who called him to the Governor’s office and then threatened him instead of protecting him.

 

There’s no point in shedding crocodile tears. Let us bow our heads and look at our hands. Let us ponder how we will clean off the blood. You organs of the press who have expressed shock over Hrant’s death, go read your back issues, look at what you wrote about Hrant. You will see the murderer there. You who used 301 as a weapon to hunt intellectuals, see what you wrote about 301, look at the court decisions. You will see the murderer there.

 

Dear government officials, spare us your crocodile tears. Tell us what you plan to do to the Lieutenant Governor who called Hrant into his office and, together with an official from the National Intelligence Bureau, proceeded to threaten him. What do you intend to do to them?

 

Hrant was portrayed as “the Armenian who insulted Turkishness.” For this he was murdered. He was murdered because he said, “Turkey must confront its history.” The hands that pulled the trigger – or caused it to be pulled – in 2007 are the same hands that shot all the Hrants in 1915, the same hands that left all those Armenians to choke in the desert.

 

Hrant’s killers are sending us a message. They’re saying “Yes! We were behind 1915 and we’ll do it again in 2007!” Hrant’s murderers believe they killed in the name of Turkishness, just like those who killed all the Hrants in 1915.

 

For them, Turkishness is about committing murder. It means setting someone up as the enemy and then targeting that person for destruction.

 

Quite the contrary, the murderers are a black stain upon the brow of Turkishness. It is they who have demeaned Turkish identity.

 

For this reason, we have stood up and we have decided to take Turkishness out of the assassins’ hands and we have shouted out, “We are all Hrant! We are all Armenian!” We are the resounding cry of Turkishness and Turkey. All of us – Turks, Kurds, Alevites, secularists, and Muslims alike – shout out on behalf of everyone who wants to take Turkishness away from these murderers.

 

Turkishness is a beautiful thing that should be respected instead of left in the hands of murderers; so is Armenianness.

 

We can feel proud to be Turkish only if we can acknowledge the murderer for who he is. That is what we are doing today. By declaring, “We are all Armenians,” we know that we honor Turkishness; by identifying the true murderer, we create a Turkishness worth claiming.

 

Today we declare to the world that murder has nothing to do with Turkishness or Turkey. We are not going to leave Turkishness in the hands of murderers. We will not allow Turkishness to be stained by hate crimes towards Armenians. Either Turkishness belongs to the murderers, or it belongs to us.

 

Turks cry out that the person who killed Hrant is a murderer. In the wake of his death, Turkishness affirms that we are all Armenians.

 

This, I say, is what we also need to do for 1915.

 

If we can affirm that a real Turk is someone who can distance Turkishness from the murder of Hrant Dink, then we ought to be able to do the same thing for the events around 1915. Those who gather in a protective circle around Hrant’s murderer are the same people who protected the murderers of 1915. Those who honored Talaat, Bahaettin Sakir and Dr. Nazim yesterday are doing the same for Hrant’s murderer today.

 

If we can come out and declare Hrant’s murder a “shameful act,” then we should be able to state the same, as Mustafa Kemal Atatürk did, about the acts that occurred in 1915. Today, hundreds of thousands of us condemn this murder by declaring “We are all Armenian.” In 1915, Turks, Kurds, Moslems and Alevites did the same. We have to choose, not only for today but for yesterday as well.

 

Whose side are we on? Which “Turkishness” are we defending, the one that defends the murderers or the one that condemns the murderous acts? Do we stand with Kemal, the Mayor of Boğazlıyan, who annihilated Armenians in 1915, or with Abdullahzade Mehmet Efendi, the Mufti of Boğazlıyan, who bore witness against that mayor at the trial that lead to his execution, stating, “I fear the wrath of God”?

 

Are we going to represent the “Turkishness” that defended the crimes of Talat, Enver, Bahaettin Şakir, Doctor Nâzım, and Governor Resit of Diyarbakır? Or will we oppose them in the name of a Turkishness that condemns such horror?

 

We need to know that in 1915 we had Mazhar, the governor of Ankara; Celal, the governor of Aleppo; Reşit, the governor of Kastamonu; Cemal, the lieutenant governor of Yozgat; Ali Faik, the mayor of Kütahya; and Ali Fuat, the mayor of Der-Zor. And we had soldiers and army commanders in 1915, men we can embrace with respect, for opposing what happened: Vehip *****, Commander of the Third Army; Avni *****, Commander of the Trabzon garrison; Colonel Vasfi; and Salim, Major Commandant of the Yozgat post.

 

Trabzon has its share of murderers like Ogün Samast in 2007 and Governor Cemal Azmi and Unionist “Yenibahçeli” Nail in 1915. But those who opposed the crimes of 1915 and didn’t hesitate to identify the murderers in court included many citizens of Trabzon: Nuri, Chief of Police; businessman, Ahmet Ali Bey; Customs Inspector Nesim Bey, and parliamentarian Hafiz Mehmet Emin Bey, who testified, “I saw with my own eyes that the Armenians were loaded onto boats and taken out and drowned, but I couldn’t do anything to stop it.”

 

These are just a few of the dozens, hundreds, even thousands of people who opposed the horrible acts committed.

 

We, Turks and Turkey, have a choice to make. We will affirm either the Turkishness of murderers past and present, or the Turkishness of those who cry out today, “We are all Armenian!” and who yesterday declared, “We will not let our hands be stained with blood.”

 

The whole world looks upon us with respect because they see us draw a line between Turkishness and barbarism. Today we are building a wall between murderers and Turkishness; we are Turks who know how to point the finger at a murderer.

 

We must show the same courage in regard to the events of 1915. Hrant wanted us to. When he said, “I love Turks and Turkey, and I consider it a privilege to be living amongst Turks,” that’s what he was asking for. We need to acknowledge the murderers of the Hrants of 1915, and we need to draw a line between them and Turkishness. If we are going to own up to this murder in 2007 then we need to do the same for those of 1915.

 

That’s what confronting one’s history is about. Today, by saying to Hrant’s murderer, “You don’t represent me as a Turk: you are simply a murderer,” we have begun the process of confronting and acknowledging our history. We must do the same with the murderers of 1915 by drawing a line between their acts and our Turkishness. We must condemn these murderers as having smeared our brows with the dark stain of their crimes. Then, and only then, can we Turks go about the world with our heads held high.

 

I cry out in the name of Turkishness. I cry out as a Turk, as a friend who lost Hrant, my beloved Armenian brother. Let’s take back Turkishness from the murderous hands of those who wish to smear us with their dark deeds. Let’s shout in one voice, “WE ARE ALL HRANT! WE ARE ALL ARMENIANS!”

 

Radikal (Turkey)

 

January 24, 2007

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think these people just shut up. Noone is listening them(except armenians.)

 

Erdogan, Bahceli or other nationalist should talk. what type of self-respecting nationalist will listen Taner Akçam.

Of course, no self-respecting, self-denigrating, auto-destructive nationalist would ever even be able to listen even if they hear, read or see even if they look. They can't even read, it's so boring and above all soooo un-nationalistic!

Erdogan the "Lan" Kasimpasali, the head of thieves, a nationalist? Take your head, expecting that so-called salvation from politicians, out of that ostrich arse of yours you buried it in.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So many friends he had! It's a wonder he had the time to make friends with them all. :huh:

 

Or maybe most of them only started to call themselves his "friends" after his murder.

 

 

do you know Levon Marashlian? its him who posted the video, he knew Hrand very closely, i met Levon in my house and the men could not hold back his tears

 

don't just blurt out what ever comes to you mind you degenerate A-hole :angry: :angry:

get your facts straight before you vomit here.

 

how many times you have been banned from this forum, I promise you, if one more time!??

you are gone for good!!!!

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Before you spew your vomit you had better face the fact that the issue of the all the newly emerged "friends" of Hrant Dink is significant, and they include many who actually hated and actively opposed him in life, and whose nationalistic politics Dink was completely against.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Before you spew your vomit you had better face the fact that the issue of the all the newly emerged "friends" of Hrant Dink is significant, and they include many who actually hated and actively opposed him in life, and whose nationalistic politics Dink was completely against.

 

 

dont play your game on me, you quoted her wile she posted that vedio, be clear on this issue

where you friends with Hrand? did you even knew Hrand? otherwise shut the .....up.

 

maaan, you remind me a women who cant stop bitching about anybody and anything.

dont make me expose you of what you truly are :angry:

 

now go play with your toys

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

INVESTIGATION OF HRANT DINK'S MURDER FINISHED

 

*

 

The General Prosecutor's Office of Turkey marked as terrorism the actions of 18 citizens of Turkey, detained during the investigation of the murder of Hrant Dink.

 

According to "Zaman", the 73 page long Act of persecution, in which ended up the investigation, states that Erhan Tuncel and Yasin Hayal created a terrorist group in Trabzon and that the group is responsible not only for the murder of Hrant Dink but also the explosions at the "McDonald's" in Trabzon and the murder of catholic priest Santoro. The Prosecutor's Office demands criminal cases be started against all the 18 detained.

 

The Act prosecution requires lifetime imprisonment for Hayal and Tuncel, and detainment of only 14-20 years for murderer Ogun Samast, because of his immatureness upon the moment of committing the murder.

 

Various measures of punishment are required for "Great Unity" party members Yasar Cihan and Halis Egmen as well as their 15 assistants.

 

"Zaman" also reports that the 14th Court of Istanbul refused to receive the Act because of certain mistakes in it. The Court stated it will undertake teh case after the mistakes are corrected.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

TURKISH COURT TO HEAR HRANT DINK’S CASE ON JULY 2

 

Those accused in the murder of Hrant Dink, editor-in-chief of Agos newspaper, will stand in front of Istanbul court on July 2. Ogiun Samast, a 17-year-old, is accused in the murder of Dink based on his own testimony. Samast cannot be charged with life sentence because he is under 18. All other suspects may spend their whole lives behind prison bars. There are 18 accused in the murder case and 12 of them are under arrest.

 

Reminder: Hrant Dink was killed on January 19 in Istanbul. The killer said he did that on the grounds of national hatred.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Of course, no self-respecting, self-denigrating, auto-destructive nationalist would ever even be able to listen even if they hear, read or see even if they look. They can't even read, it's so boring and above all soooo un-nationalistic!

 

Yeah, absolute your are the only one who read.. Maybe You should rule country..

Erdogan the "Lan" Kasimpasali, the head of thieves, a nationalist?

 

Well. Nationalist cant read. Erdogan and AKP are theives.. And what are you? Respect others more.

 

At least If you want any respect.

Take your head, expecting that so-called salvation from politicians, out of that ostrich arse of yours you buried it in.

 

Politicians are choosen by people. So If I hope something I hope it from politicians(So people.)

 

Not from some so-called intelligent guys..

 

Anyway, We live in same planet. You are not god. So dont steal god role.

 

You are not more intelligent than others..

 

Lets hope, Moderaters will let this post.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
Hearings on Dink murder to be held in secrecy

04.06.2007 18:44 GMT+04:00

 

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Hearings on the murder of Turkish Armenian editor Hrant Dink will start July 2, 2007.

 

The court sessions will be held behind closed doors. Publication of any information is barred.

 

Journalists will be deprived of the possibility to cover the hearings. They will not be furnished any information either, Marmara newspaper reports.

 

Hrant Dink, the editor of the Turkish-Armenian “Agos” weekly newspaper, was gunned down outside his office in Istanbul on January 19 by 17-year-old Ogun Samast, who is a member of a nationalistic group.

 

Erhan Tuncel and Yasin Hayal have been accused of preparing the murderous assault. The Istanbul prosecutor is seeking life imprisonment for both Tuncel and Hayal, who also face charges of being a senior member of an armed terrorist group. Since Ogun Samast has not reached the age of 18, he could face up to 24 years behind bars for Dink’s murder. The indictment tabled by the prosecutor also called for various terms of imprisonment for Mustafa Ozturk, Tuncay Uzundal, Zeynel Abidin Yavuz, Ahmet Iskender, Ersin Yolcu, Yasar Cihan, Halis Egemen, Salih Hacisalihoglu, Alper Esirgemez, Irfan Ozkan, Osman Alpay, Erbil Susaman, Numan Sisman, Senol Akduman and Veysel Toprak on charges of aiding and abetting in the killing of Dink.

 

Democracy in action!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Now the Turkish prosecutors are going after the son of Hrant Dink. :angry:

SON OF SLAIN TURKISH-ARMENIAN JOURNALIST THREATENED WITH JAIL

 

Agence France Presse -- English

June 14, 2007 Thursday 5:28 PM GMT

 

Prosecutors called Thursday for a prison sentence of up to three years

for the son of a murdered Turkish-Armenian journalist for reproducing

an interview his father gave confirming the Armenian genocide.

 

The public affairs ministry accuses Arat Dink, editor of the bilingual

Turkish-Armenian weekly Agos, and his colleague Serikis Seropyan, of

"denigrating the Turkish national identity".

 

In a July 2006 edition of Agos, they reproduced an interview Hrant

Dink gave to a news agency in which he declared that the massacre of

Armenians committed between 1915 and 1917 in southeastern Anatolia

constituted a genocide.

 

"Of course I say this is a genocide. Because the result itself

identifies what it is and gives it a name. You can see that a people

who have been living on these lands for 4,000 years have disappeared.

 

This is self-explanatory," Hrant Dink, then editor of Agos, had said.

 

At Thursday's hearing Dink accused judges of contributing to his

father's death by making him a target thanks to their high-profile

judicial proceedings.

 

"I think it is primitive, absurd and dangerous to consider as an

insult to Turkish identity the recognition of a historic event as a

genocide," he said, quoted by the Anatolia news agency.

 

Prosecutors said he should be sentenced to between six months and

three years in jail.

 

Hrant Dink, 52, was himself branded a "traitor" by nationalists for

urging open debate on the massacres of Armenians under the Ottoman

Empire which he labelled as genocide.

 

He was last year given a six-month suspended sentence for insulting

"Turkishness" and faced more charges before being shot dead in January

outside the offices of Agos, where he was editor at the time.

 

The massacre remains a major bone of contention between Armenia and

Turkey and two countries and they have not established diplomatic

ties since Armenia broke away from the Soviet Union in 1991.

 

Ogun Samast, 17, has confessed to shooting Dink. He and 18 other

accomplices will be tried from the beginning of July over the murder,

believed to have been committed with ultra-nationalist motives.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not only him, but also 3 other journalists of Agos, under that silly law... :angry:

Murdered newspaper editor’s son and three other journalists charged with “insulting Turkish identity”

Reporters Without Borders condemns the decision to prosecute Arat Dink, the son of slain Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink, and three other journalists employed by his newspaper, the weekly Agos, for “insulting Turkish identity” under article 301 of the criminal code.

 

The Istanbul prosecutor’s office requested a six-month prison sentence for Arat Dink when he appeared in court yesterday in Istanbul as his father’s successor as editor of Agos. The three other Agos journalists charged with him are Serkis Seropyan, Aydin Engin and Karin Karakashli. Dink’s father was gunned down outside the newspaper on 19 January.

 

“Once again we have to denounce the use of article 301 of the criminal code, which is a threat to freedom of expression,” Reporters Without Borders said. “A prosecution was also initiated against Erdal Dogal, one of the Dink family’s lawyers on 7 June.”

 

Agos’ staff is being prosecuted for republishing an interview Hrant Dink gave to Reuters in July 2006 in which he referred to the 1915 Armenian genocide and urged Armenians “to turn now towards the new blood of independent Armenia, which alone is capable of freeing them from the weight of the Diaspora.”

 

Prior to his murder, Hrant Dink received a six-month suspended sentence for these comments, which the newspaper reproduced as part of a series entitled “The Armenian Identity.”

 

The trial of 18 people accused of participating in Hrant Dink’s murder is due to open in Istanbul on 2 July.

 

http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=22565

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

HRANT DINK FINALLY ACQUITTED

 

Today's Zaman

June 15 2007

 

Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink, slain in January, was

officially acquitted in two court cases concluded yesterday at an

Ýstanbul court.

 

Three other defendants who were facing charges of "insulting

Turkishness" and "attempting to influence the judiciary" were also

acquitted, though a third similar case opened at a later date will

continue.

 

The two court cases were sent back to a criminal court in the Þiþli

district after the Court of Appeals ordered a retrial. Retrial

of the cases was originally scheduled to begin in February but

it was postponed to yesterday, June 14, following Dink's Jan. 19

assassination by a teenage gunman in downtown Ýstanbul. Dink, who

was the editor of the bilingual Agos daily, was facing charges of

insulting Turkishness under the infamous Article 301 of the Turkish

Penal Code and of attempting to influence the judiciary's functioning

under Article 288 in those two cases.

 

Two of the defendants, Dink's son Arat Dink, and Agos editor Serkis

Seropyan, appeared in the court for a retrial session of the cases.

 

Lawyers for the defendants demanded acquittal, saying elements of

the crime were not in place. The court agreed and acquitted all the

defendants in the case.

 

A similar case in which Dink and other defendants face the same

charges of insulting Turkishness was postponed to a later date to

allow defense lawyers to prepare their plea.

 

Dink had become a hated figure for ultranationalists for his comments

over an alleged Armenian genocide at the hands of the late Ottoman

Empire. He called for reconciliation between Turks and Armenians and

was a sharp critic of the Armenian diaspora for its uncompromising

stance against Turkey.

 

Before his death, Dink had complained that the charges of "insulting

Turkishness" against him made him a target of nationalist anger.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...