Assassination Of Hrant Dink

[Yervant1]

It's very clear that the assasination of Hrant Dink was well planned ahead of time. They picked a person who is well coached and prepared in order to get a very short time in prison upon his conviction.

 

- He is under age

- He had drugs

- He is sorry for what he did, remorseful

- Others forced and threatened him

- He did not know Hrant had family

 

I'm sure we'll hear more BS as the trial goes on and at the end the punishment will not fit the crime.

I don't believe not even one second that he is sorry and regrets what he did.

[Yervant1]

Editor convicted of insulting Turkey’s identity

Man republishes father's remarks that call Armenian massacre a genocide

 

ISTANBUL, Turkey - The son of a journalist killed earlier this year after calling the massacre of Armenians a genocide was convicted Thursday of insulting Turkey’s identity for republishing his father’s remarks.

 

Arat Dink, editor of the Armenian newspaper Agos, and publisher Serkis Seropyan each received a one-year suspended sentence for “insulting Turkishness,” said their lawyer, Erdal Dogan. He said they would appeal the sentences.

 

Dink is the son of ethnic Armenian journalist Hrant Dink, who was convicted of the same charge for calling the killing of Armenians during World War I genocide. He had appealed the conviction before he was killed by a Turkish youth in January.

 

[Aratta-Kingdom]

http://www.abhaber.com/news_page.asp?id=3618

 

 

FIDH is unhappy about Hrant Dink case (original text)

 

International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)

 

Press release

 

Turkey

 

Hrant Dink case : harassment against Agos continues

 

The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) strongly deplores the continued harassment faced by journalists debating the question of the killings of hundreds of thousands by the Ottoman Army in 1915-1917 of Armenians in Turkey. Yesterday, Hrant Dink's son and one of his colleague from the newspaper Agos were sentenced to a suspended prison sentence for « insulting the Turkish identity », pursuant to Article 301 of the penal code.

 

FIDH recalls that one year ago Hrant Dink, a Turkish journalist of Armenian origin, former leader of the movement for democratic reforms in Turkey, who personified dialogue between Turks and Armenians, was charged with making « disparaging comments about Turkish identity » after he called the 1915-1917 killings a genocide. On 19 January 2007, Hrant Dink was assassinated on a public street in front of his office in Istanbul by a teenager close to ultra nationalist movements.

 

Arat Dink and Sarkis Seropyan, respectively editor in chief and director of Agos - a bilingual Turkish-Armenian newspaper – were sentenced on the ground that Agos published in their columns an interview of Reuters in which Hrant Dink called the 1915-1917 killings a genocide. Hrant Dink had been prosecuted several times and sentenced to six-month of prison on the basis of Article 301.

 

FIDH is deeply worried about this continued pattern of infringement to freedom of expression and opinion which constitutes a flagrant violation of international standards and, in particular the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights which was ratified by Turkey in September 2003. We are very concerned about the frequent use of Article 301on the denigration of «Turkishness », the Republic, and the foundation and institutions of the State, to prosecute non-violent critical opinions. The majority of cases recently brought against journalists, publishers and writers are based on Art. 301.

 

Despite the assassination of Hrant Dink, the Turkish authorities continue to consider that discussing the nature of the 1915-1917 killings is an insult to Turkish identity, and thus expose the lives of those opening the debate.

 

FIDH requests the Turkish authorities to:

 

take the necessary measures to ensure the respect of freedom of expression and opinion and, in particular, amend domestic legislation in order to comply with its international and regional obligations;

 

put an end to prosecutions brought against individuals under Article 301 of the penal code; and abrogate this article;

 

ensure that the trial of perpetrators and masterminds in the assassination of Hrant Dink is conducted in a fair and transparent manner and examine thoroughly the responsibility of the Government and authorities which failed to protect a citizen who lived under a threat that was known to all.

[Aratta-Kingdom]

Federation of Armenian Organisations of the Netherlands (FAON)

Address: Weesperstraat 91 - 2574 VS The Hague

Telephone: +31704490209

E-mail: info@faon.nl

Contact: M. Hakhverdian

 

PRESS RELEASE

 

The Hague, 25 October 2007

 

Dutch Parliament: Written Questions on Conviction of Arat Dink

 

This week Dutch MP Henk Jan Ormel of Christian Democratic Party (CDA)

submitted written questions to the Dutch Secretary of State for Foreign

Affairs Frans Timmermans (Labour Party, PvdA), about recent conviction of

Arat Dink, the son of assassinated Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink,

according to Article 301 of Turkish Penal Code, for offending Turkish

identity. Mr. Ormel asks whether the Secretary of State can explain why the

Turkish govenrment refuses to amend said Article.

 

Former Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ben Bot, has reassured the Dutch

parliament on several occasions in the past that the Article 301 was to be

amended in short term. Then he referred to personal promises made to him by

former Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs, now president Gul, as well as

by the Turkish ambassador in the Netherlands. Unfortunately, these promises

have been never kept.

 

Mr. Ormel also asks if the Secretary of State expects that the Turkish

parliament will be urged to make the amendment of the Article 301. Finally,

Mr. Ormel wants to know if Mr. Timmermans is going to urge Turkey again, in

the EU context, to amend Article 301.

[MosJan]

Turkish court refused to try seven Trabzon police officers involved in Dink murder

31.10.2007 18:41 GMT+04:00 Print version Send to mail In Russian In Armenian

 

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Administrative Court has refused permission to try seven police officers from the Trabzon police department, arguing that they had no involvement in the murder of Hrant Dink.

 

The joint attorneys had then asked the Regional Administrative Court for a decision. Fethiye Cetin, lawyer for the Dink family, said that they had not officially been notified of the court decision yet, but that she was curious how it would be justified. The Trabzon Governor’s Office had not offered any justification for refusing the investigation of the police officers.

 

The trial of Hrant Dink’s murder continues at the Istanbul 14th Heavy Penal Court with 19 defendants, eight of them detained. Legal proceeding were launched against two policemen accused of posing with gunman Ogun Samast in Samsun, BYA Turkish newspaper reports.

 

The next hearing is due on 11 February 2008.

 

Hrant Dink was shot dead in front of the office of the weekly Turkish-Armenian Agos newspaper in Sisli, central Istanbul, on 19 January 2007 by teenager Ogun Samast. Human rights activists in Turkey and around the world are demanding that the trial go beyond the obvious murder suspects and uncover the involvement of more powerful forces behind the murder.

 

[HyeFedayis]

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Arat Dink, the son of slain Agos editor Hrant Dink, and his family abandoned Turkey and settled in Brussels, Inge Drost, a Spokesperson for the Federation of Armenian Organizations of the Netherlands, told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter. Hrant Dink’s daughter domiciled at Hague last year, she said.

 

Turkish media says Arat Dink left Turkey because ‘he and his family were in jeopardy’.

 

In October Arat Dink stood trial under article 301 for re-publishing his father’s interview where he spoke about the Armenian Genocide, what is rated as “insulting Turkishness”.

[Ani]

 

Saturday, 10 November 2007

Turkish singer and composer on trial for YouTube clip praising Hrant Dink murder

 

Bianet reports that singer Ismail Türüt and composer Arif Sirin [also known as “Bard” Sirin], as well as two other people are on trial in Turkey charged with creating a clip on YouTube "praising a criminal" and "inciting hatred and hostility". Up to 7.5 years imprisonment are demanded.

 

The clip which was shown on YouTube was a collage of images referring to the murder of Hrant Dink, accompanied by Sirin's song, with an intent of praising the murder suspects of the journalist.

 

According to “Agos” newspaper, the prosecution is demanding up to 7.5 years imprisonment for Sirin, Türüt and the two other defendants.

 

The Istanbul Police Department found out that the clip was put onto YouTube by Hakan Öztekin, who used the nickname “MICHeCK” and Zeynel Abidin Mutlu who used the nickname “dafmaniac” and used an internet provider in Austria.

 

Öztekin claims that there was no criminal intent in the preparation of the clip, while Mutlu said that it was supposed to be an advertisement.

 

Clear connection to Hrant Dink murder

 

However, prosecutor Nurten Altinok came to the conclusion that the clip contained praise of Hrant Dink’s murder and those responsible for it, as well as incitement to violence. The indictment found direct references in the song to the murder of Dink. According to the indictment, the line “Stop ringing (church) bells, stop being pro-Armenian” refer to the mourners at Dink’s funeral who carried placards reading “We are all Armenian”; the lines “If a person sells the homeland, business ends immediately, The sun of the Turk and Islam does not set at the Black Sea” incited hatred and hostility towards people who were not Turkish or not Muslims.

 

[Ani]

 

......

Edited November 11, 2007 by Ani777
it will be wise if we don't; advertise for them, so wan posting such link use - wrap in code tag

[_femme333_]

[url="http://youtube.com/watch?v=uuxyzGDtnA4"]http://youtube.com/watch?v=uuxyzGDtnA4[/url]

 

I dont understand this language...Is this the song??? Its 11:41 and i cant turn up the volume i dont even know if this is a song...Can someone eho understand this language translate...

 

The language is Turkish.

Edited November 11, 2007 by MosJan
it will be wise if we don't; advertise for them, so wan posting such link use - wrap in code tag

[Ani]

The language is Turkish.

 

 

Really???

 

LOL

 

[HyeFedayis]

Here's another video:

 

http://youtube.com/watch?v=dc7amWAn_DI

 

Basically there are many videos with the song, and some videos showed Hrant Dink dead and right at that time the song is saying "If a person betrays the country, he is finished off" but he did not make this video, the singer, he is in trouble because of Turkish nationalists.

Edited November 11, 2007 by MosJan
it will be wise if we don't; advertise for them, so wan posting such link use - wrap in code tag

[Stormig]

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Arat Dink, the son of slain Agos editor Hrant Dink, and his family abandoned Turkey and settled in Brussels, Inge Drost, a Spokesperson for the Federation of Armenian Organizations of the Netherlands, told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter. Hrant Dink’s daughter domiciled at Hague last year, she said.

 

Turkish media says Arat Dink left Turkey because ‘he and his family were in jeopardy’.

 

In October Arat Dink stood trial under article 301 for re-publishing his father’s interview where he spoke about the Armenian Genocide, what is rated as “insulting Turkishness”.

From the horse's mouth:

 

http://www.agos.com.tr/eng/index.php?modul...70&cat_id=1

 

“I neither foster hope nor anxiety”

 

Our phones did not stop ringing throughout the past week. Following the announcement of the reasoned court decision about Arat Dink and Sarkis Seropyan and the change in our identification, we watched in suprise news implying that Arat had left Turkey.

 

 

 

First of all, we were sorry to see that our press is expecting such an “escape” at every visit of Dink family abroad. In the same way, it was interesting that society also adopted an attitude making this retreat official while this was only implied in the news reports. Because even if this news was true, the answer was the answer of a question that everybody living in Turkey should have asked themselves: “Which is better? Should he stay, or should he go?”

 

Leaving all these rumours aside, we interviewed Arat about leaving Turkey, Baron Hrant, Hrant Dink Foundation and Agos.

 

In recent news reports, it has been said that you left have Turkey. How do you interpret the production of such news immediately after the announcement of the reasoned decision of your case?

 

While there are so many developments both about the announced reasoned court decision and also the murder case, I regard it as a negative situation that certain colleagues are only interested in this. Neither I nor my family consider leaving Turkey. Anyway, if we decide to leave Turkey, it will not be in a hidden way. After the court decision, my family suggested me to go away for a while. I found it appropriate to take some time to complete several private tasks that I had left unfinished, and accepted this suggestion. This was an absence of a few months covering both my education and some delayed private business. Anyway, half of this process passes in Turkey as it is now. I have been abroad for a temporary period, I have come back now and I will return. This will continue in this manner for a while.

 

Many young people are concerned about staying in Turkey at the moment. As a young Armenian, what do you think about living abroad?

 

I have never considered this option, I have never wanted to move abroad in my life. Of course, I have had friends thinking of making a living abroad. Yet, I have never considered the thought myself. I believe that the human being is a creature tied to the environment it is born into. One should not focus on “where should I build a life?”, but should consider improving the current place of living. S/he must produce for this aim and try to leave a better place to the ones who will come after. I could be the last young person to wish to leave this country because I have a big example in front of me who preferred to stay in spite of all difficulties. That example inspires me more than it does other people.

 

Are the threats continuing?

 

There have been threats during the process. We are not at a point to evaluate how serious they are. Generally, I am not anxious about this. My life philosophy is not to survive at all costs. I do not take steps only to survive. By the way, after January 19, we lost the organ to feel anxiety and other similar feelings.

 

How were your thoughts and feelings affected from being sentenced in a case in which your father had also been tried?

 

Unfortunately, I was not surprised. I was expecting it, as a feeling, if not as a prediction. In order to make a prediction, you need to settle certain things in your mind and establish a consistent chain of logic. However, this decision cannot be based on any logical model. I felt it was going to hapen. The previous examples made me feel this was probable.

 

How do you evaluate the developments about the murder case? Is hope diminishing by the day?

 

Hope is, like anxiety, a feeling we can no longer foster, we can no longer feel. We do not have anything to gain from the positive conclusion of the case, as expected. There is no satisfaction in it for the family, nor for me personally. The only party to benefit from a fair verdict in this case is Turkey. Then we will be indirectly satisfied, as citizens, to live in a transparent and clean country.

 

What are the developments regarding the foundation? No announcement of activities has yet been made except for the news of its establishment. What is being planned?

 

The Foundation will operate under 4 main titles generally. The first is education. The second is intercultural dialogue. Another is inter-generation dialogue and history. And of course, one of our fields is Hrant Dink. Attending to his heritage and sharing his views with the society by ensuring their transmission over generations. The official proceedings of the foundation are completed; we are currently organizing its new headquarters. An internet site will be opened soon. Its opening will be announced with a press statement.

 

We had announced that it would be an international foundation. Is there any work towards this aim?

 

There will be branches in different countries abroad. Work continues regarding the issue. We will announce the branches as they are opened.

 

What about the administration?

 

An administrative board has been formed up including the family as well as specialists from several different branches.

 

Is there a relationship between Agos and the Hrant Dink Foundation?

 

Yes, we are neighbours... (I catch a glimpse of his first smile since the beginning of the interview) Agos and the Hrant Dink Foundation are surely two different institutions. However, they will be working together on many issues. Agos and Hrant Dink cannot be separated. And the foundation is the Hrant Dink Foundation. Yet, there are no institutional connections.

 

January is approaching. It is wondered whether there are any preparations for January 19. Are there preparations being made?

 

The foundation and the family, as heritors of Hrant Dink, have decided not to carry out this kind of an activity. This year, we will only help coordinating the activities upon request. It would be more appropriate if these activities are conducted by public will. Surely, there will be a religious ceremony. On Sunday, January 20…

 

How do you comment on the support and reaction from the Armenian society? Do you think there is any improvement in civil awareness since January?

 

The Armenian society is not an advanced society in terms of demonstrating a civil attitude in the face of such developments. It is hard to expect certain things at this point. Certainly, the larger society has further responsibility here. Yet, the Armenian society should produce the culture to reveal a civil attitude in the face of developments.

 

How do you regard the nationalist discourse on the rise in the virtual environment in recent months?

 

There are such opinions in every society. I am not more affected by them than the general public. I regard it as normal. The right thing would be to reduce these voices to such level that they would be regarded abnormal in a society. What concerns me more is that people holding certain official positions make such statements. We have experienced such examples, our lawyers have taken some precautions. Apart from that, this is a matter that should receive a reaction from the whole of civil society.

 

Can these new civil formations and initiatives be influential enough?

 

There were fewer people at the hearing held in Beşiktaş in October compared to the previous one. One wonders whether there will be even fewer at the next one.

 

Yes, voices rise in periods of escalating aggressive discourses. Yet, the segment that raises voice constantly is a small one. The important thing is to ensure an environment where authorized bodies also fulfill their duty in addition to these reactions of the society. The demonstrations or protests are a declaration of will as to what kind of a country we wish to live in.

 

My dear “Responsible” Editor, could you make an evaluation of Agos for the past 8 months?

 

I suppose that Agos has received good results in this period by adding the support from outside to its own power. The presence of my father was a comfort for us, for the Armenian community, and even for many democrats in Turkey. At the point we are at, Turks and Armenians are doomed to be deprived of Hrant Dink.

 

Therefore, even though we are deprived of his presence, our duty is to pursue his path, lead and re-produce the discourse he bequeathed, and open other paths that he could not. Agos does and will proceed in this direction.

 

[Error 404]

The question here is not whether Hrant's son and others want to move out or stay in Turkey. It is more about how much turkish authorities will do to protect him while he exercises his right of free speech and free press.

[MosJan]

Hrant Dink Named 'World Press Freedom Hero'

 

AFP

 

The International Press Institute named Hrant Dink, the murdered editor-in-chief of the bilingual Turkish-Armenian weekly Ago, as one of its World Press Freedom Heroes on Monday.

 

"Hrant Dink's nomination as our 52nd World Press Freedom Hero is a tribute to his bravery, but also an acknowledgement of his significant contribution to freedom of expression and press freedom in Turkey," IPI Director Johann Fritz said.

 

Dink, a well-known Turkish-Armenian editor and columnist, was murdered in Istanbul on January 19, 2007. He was shot twice in the head and once in the neck by a Turkish nationalist outside the offices of the newspaper he set up in 1996.

 

He had run into trouble with the law for articles about the 1915-17 massacres of Armenians under the Ottoman Empire during World War I and received a six-month suspended sentence in July 2006 for denigrating "Turkishness". Dink was also facing prosecution for a second article condemning his conviction, and had received death threats. The murder trial opened in Istanbul on July 2 with 18 people charged in connection with his assassination.

 

"The murder of Hrant Dink deprived Turkey of one of its most courageous and independent voices and it was a terrible event for Turkish press freedom in general," Fritz said as he handed the IPI award to Dink's widow, Rakel.

 

Dink was one of at least 91 journalists murdered so far in 2007, IPI said. "In most cases, these murders occurred with impunity. We call on governments around the world to ensure that those responsible for these heinous crimes are brought to justice," Fritz said.

 

At Dink's funeral on January 23, 100,000 people marched in protest at his assassination, chanting, "We are all Armenians" and "We are all Hrant Dink."

 

(Photolur photo)

[Aratta-Kingdom]

Yerb yes dznveci ays hogagndum,

Yes lalis ei, ashxarh@ xndum

Aynpes aprei-yerb yes gnai

Ashxarh@ togh lar

U yes xndai

 

-----------------------------------

 

Es xosqer@ hastat Hrant Dinki u ira nmanneri hamar en grvel. Dink was a man of honor and dignity.

 

For the Armenians and the turks, without a doubt, Hrant Dink was the Man Of The Year.

[Ashot]

Hrant Dinki nmannerin petqe parqevatrel michev mahanal@, nra t@ghamartkutyun@ yev hzorutyun@ der shat tariner petqe zbosnen ashxari shurj!!!

Bravo nra herosutsyan@!

[Ashot]

Young people gather to commemorate Hrant Dink

 

 

Armenian, Alevi, Kurdish and Turkish young people in Turkey have formed a group called “Hadig” to commemorate Hrant Dink, editor-in-chief of bilingual Armenian-Turkish weekly Agos, on the first anniversary of his assassination, the Turkish Daily News reports.

 

The word “Hadig” literally means “grain” in the Armenian language. The 14-member group composed of university students gathering through a civilian initiative formed the Tilili Project that took its name from a sentence in Dink's article titled “Armenian Identity.” A total of 19 articles written by Dink between 1996 and 2007 for bilingual Armenian-Turkish weekly Agos were chosen to give voice to the framework of the Tilili Project. The number 19 symbolizes the date Jan. 19, the day Dink was murdered in front of Agos' building. Dink's articles were read aloud by some of Turkey's respected artists.

 

Again symbolizing the date Dink was assassinated, 19 artists and intellectuals are participating in the project, where the biggest surprise is the recorded voice of Dink himself while reading his article titled “Su Çatlağını Buldu” (Water finds its crack).

 

The Tilili Project's display poster includes depictions of four pomegranates because this fruit symbolizes fruitfulness, blessing and togetherness in traditional Armenian culture. Kızılarslan said, “We put pomegranate grains on the display poster because we are each grains of this country and when we come together we form the unity and integrity of Turkey. May the grains of the pomegranate not disintegrate.” The Turkish audio version of Dink's articles will be available on headphones during “Apartment Project” that will take place Jan. 4-20, 2008. The project is expected to travel to Europe and the US with English and French versions of Dink's recorded articles.

[MosJan]

Ashot q@roj@s Armineyin hartsra h@ranti masin - menak nayi t@ramadrutyun@ tegh@ lini

 

ir spanutyunits 4 amis araj Arminen yev Hayr@s mi qani angam handipum eyin unetsel H@Ranti het

yev chmoranas harstnel et H@rant@ inchpes er batsatrum ir garatsy imast@ vor grel er Haykakan Aryan masin

[Ashot]

Ampayman K@harts@nem, gitem vor Junvari vercherin mid termneri zhamanakna, nents vor et vaxt chem harts@ni, petervarin k@hartsenem!!!

[MosJan]

Armenians of Moscow to organize picket at Turkish Embassy January 19 15.01.2008 14:35 GMT+04:00 http://panarmenian.net/news/images/ico_print.gif http://panarmenian.net/news/images/ico_mail.gif http://panarmenian.net/news/images/ico_rus.gif http://panarmenian.net/news/images/ico_arm.gif /PanARMENIAN.Net/ On January 19, 2008, the Youth Union of New Nakhijevan and Russian Dioceses of the Armenian Apostolic Church initiates a series of public events dated to the first anniversary of Agos editor Hrant Dink’s slaying.

 

As reported by Yerkramas, the events include a liturgy in memory of killed Christians in Turkey, a picket at the Turkish embassy in Moscow, round table discussions titled Truth Makes Us Free, screening of a film dedicated to Hrant Dink.

 

A statement calling on the Turkish authorities to stop prosecution of Turkish publisher Recep Zakaroglu, who can face a 3-year imprisonment for “insulting Turkishness” will be adopted. A resolution will be also developed and sent to EU, U.S. and Turkish leaders.

 

The regional national and cultural autonomy of Assyrians of Moscow will also participate in the events. A month ago lecturer of the Swedish University of Assyrian descent Orebro Fuad Deniz was killed by unknown radicals. Deniz was universally known for his publications about the Assyrian genocide in the Ottoman Empire in early 20th century.

 

 

[Ashot]

STREET IN FRENCH LYON TO BE NAMED AFTER HRANT DINK

 

YEREVAN, JANUARY 17, ARMENPRESS: A street in France’s second largest city of Lyon will be named after Hrant Dink, a prominent Turkish Armenian journalist killed a year ago outside the office of his bilingual Agos weekly in Istanbul.

Ms. Hilda Choboyan, chairwoman of the European Armenian Federation for Justice, said to Armenpress the ceremony will be attended by Lyon mayor.

She said commemorative events will be held also in many European cities on January 19, which will mark the first anniversary of Dink’s murder. One of the events will be held in the Dutch city of Assen’s De Boskampe cemetery near a monument to the victims of the Armenian genocide.

In a related event the International Press Institute (IPI), the global network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in over 120 countries, criticized in an open letter the ongoing failure of the Turkish government to reform the internationally denounced article 301 of the Turkish penal code.

IPI recognized Hrant Dink last year as World Press Freedom Hero.

"Article 301, which criminalizes ‘insults to Turkishness’, has serious ramifications for freedom of speech in Turkey," said David Dadge, IPI Director.

"By silencing speech on certain issues, the article risks fuelling hatred and violence in Turkish society. Bearing in mind that Dink was murdered by a Turkish nationalist, it is possible that his murderer felt in some way justified by the fact that Dink had broken this pernicious law. Indeed, it is likely that he may have become a target in the first place due to the high profile nature of the trial."

"For this reason, article 301 may encourage a vicious cycle of violence, leaving those brave enough to speak out on taboo subjects in Turkey isolated and possibly in grave danger."

The IPI strongly urged the government of Turkey to ensure that article 301 is repealed, along with other articles in the Turkish penal code which inhibit freedom of expression and which do not conform to the standards expected of a modern democracy.

[Ashot]

Vartan Oskanian: Hrant will be remembered by Armenians and Turks

 

On the occasion of the one-year anniversary of the assassination of Hrant Dink, Editor of the weekly Agos newspaper of Istanbul, Minister Vartan Oskanian wrote an opinion piece, at the request of the Agos newspaper. The piece appeared in the Thursday, January 17 edition of Agos in Armenian and in Turkish, and in English in the Turkish daily newspaper Today's Zaman.

 

Read the full article - The minister wrote

 

Public Radio of Armenia

[Ashot]

Dink's lawyers say investigation deficient and lacks depth

 

A report prepared by the lawyers of Hrant Dink's family and presented to the government almost a year after his murder argues that the investigation into the murder of the journalist last January is incomplete, with the lawyers noting that without a comprehensive inquiry, concrete and correct results cannot be obtained, the Turkish Daily News reports.

 

Dink was murdered in front of his newspaper, Armenian weekly Agos, at 3:00 p.m. on Jan. 19, 2007 in Istanbul by a 17-year-old teenager with nationalist sympathies. Hundreds turned out at Dink's funeral chanting, We are all Dink, We are all Armenians.

 

The report, which highlights all the developments since the murder, was presented to Justice Minister Mehmet Ali Şahin and Interior Minister Beşir Atalay by the Democratic Society Party's (DTP) Diyarbakır deputy, Akın Birdal, who is also a member of Parliament's Human Rights Commission and a rights activist.

 

The report argues there were repeated cases of clash of interest, with some state officials who faced investigation as part of the case being allowed to work while providing evidence for the investigation. It said: The organized structure behind the murder has not been uncovered.

 

The lawyers said the investigation phase of the case was kept secret, with the victim's side prevented from contributing to the flow of information, something that resulted in clear deficiencies.

 

The report supported the indictment but argued that the murder alone was just part of the process, with the serious ideological basis and the preparations made before the murder not limited to those indicted by the prosecutor.

 

Public Radio of Armenia

[Ashot]

IN MEMORY OF HRANT DINK

 

 

On January 20, the Armenian Apostolic Church will perform a memorial service in memory of Hrant Dink.

 

To remind, a year ago, on January 19, editor-in-chief of “Agos” newspaper Hrant Dink was assassinated in Turkey. He was shot dead at the entrance of the editorial office in Istanbul.

 

 

I think Armenia on it's behalf should award a Medal of a Hero to Hrant, what do you guys think?

[Aubépine]

I plan to attend the vigil in front of AGOS, but there are rumours of a bomb plot going around. You can excpect anything from these mental nuts.