Tweet
Today's Zaman, Turkey
Jan 19 2015
Hrant Dink commemorated on 8th anniversary of murder as calls for justice grow
by ARSLAN AYAN / ISTANBUL
Thousands of people marched from Taksim Square to the headquarters of
the Agos newspaper to commemorate slain Armenian-Turkish journalist
Hrant Dink, who was shot dead outside his newspaper's office in Å?iÅ?li,
Ä°stanbul, on Jan. 19, 2007, on the eighth anniversary of his
assassination.
The large crowd gathered in Taksim at 1:30 p.m. on Monday and began to
march to the Agos weekly headquarters in Å?iÅ?li, as they have done
every year on Jan. 19 since Dink's murder. They march to express
support for Dink's family and demand justice. Dink's family, friends
and human rights organizations welcomed the crowd on the spot where
Dink was shot dead in Ä°stanbul outside the office of Agos, the
Armenian newspaper where he was editor-in-chief.
Speaking to the crowd from the balcony of Agos, Murathan Mungan, a
famous Turkish poet and author, stated that those who murder Dink
actually murdered the voice of the peace of which they could not
understand. `Hrant spoke a kind of Turkish and Armenian that they [who
murdered him] somehow could not understand. He spoke the language of
peace,' Mungan told the crowd.
`One of the dreams of Hrant Dink was to see the opening of the
Turkish-Armenian border because reopening the border would develop the
two nations' relations and bring misunderstandings to an end.
Reopening of the border would mean the opportunity to start over.
Today, as well as remembering Hrant's memory, we will also remember
his dreams and do everything to bring them to fruition,' Mungan added.
Speaking to Today's Zaman just before the commemoration ceremony
started, Dink's widow, Rakel Dink, stated that although it has been
eight years without Hrant, justice has not yet been served. Rakel Dink
also said that what keeps her strong is knowing that hundreds of
thousands of people share her pain every year on Jan. 19 since her
husband's murder.
The parents of Berkin Elvan, a teenager who died after being hit by a
teargas canister fired by the police during the Gezi protests of 2013,
also attended Dink's commemoration ceremony and greeted the crowd that
gathered outside the Agos headquarters.
Hrant Dink's widow, Rakel Dink (3rd from L) walks with parents of
Berkin Elvan and lawmakers from the CHP and the HDP. (Photo: Today's
Zaman, Turgut Engin)
Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Deputy Chairman Sezgin
Tanrıkulu also participated in the march and spoke with the press
following the ceremony in front of the Agos headquarters. Tanrıkulu
stated that Dink was murdered during the reign of the Justice and
Development Party (AK Party), and therefore the government was guilty
of negligence. `Unfortunately, instead of bringing this murder to
light, the government is trying to lay its responsibility on others,'
Tanrıkulu said in reference to the government's recent efforts to
associate the Dink assassination with the faith-based Hizmet movement,
which is inspired by the teachings of prominent Turkish Islamic
scholar Fethullah Gülen.
Many at Monday's march wore badges and carried placards declaring `We
are here Ahparig!, We are all Armenians. We will not forget.' Ahparig
means `my brother' in Armenian.
A woman looks out of a window near a banner marking the eighth
anniversary of the killing of Hrant Dink in Ä°stanbul. The banner
reads: "We are here, my brother. 8th year" (Photo: Reuters)
Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink was shot by a 17-year-old boy,
Ogün Samast, on Jan. 19, 2007, in front of the Agos office, where he
served as editor-in-chief. In January 2012, Samast was sentenced to 22
years, 10 months in prison by a juvenile court while a court ruled on
life imprisonment for Yasin Hayal on charges of instigating the
murder. Another suspect, Erhan Tuncel, was acquitted of murder
charges.
In May 2013, the Supreme Court of Appeals overturned the court's
original ruling, which dismissed the existence of an organized
criminal network in the case. The lower court, which found no evidence
that a terrorist organization was involved in Samast's assassination
of Dink in 2007, had acquitted the suspects of claims that they had
formed a terrorist organization. The court did, however, say they were
guilty of forming an illegal and armed organization to commit a crime,
prohibited under Article 220 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK).
Thousands of protesters gather outside the Agos newspaper. (Photo:
Today's Zaman, Hüseyin Sarı)
Journalists' unions commemorate Hrant Dink
Leading journalists' unions, including the Turkish Journalists
Federation (TGF) and the Turkish Journalists Association, also
released statements on Monday to commemorate Dink.
Turkish Journalists Federation (TGF) Chairman Atilla Sertel said the
case launched to find the perpetrators of Dink's murder has not
reached a conclusion that satisfies the public even though a long time
has passed since the murder. Noting that justice has not yet been
served despite eight years having passed since Dink was shot to death
in the middle of the street, Sertel said they want the real
perpetrators to be revealed and that they want them to suffer the
consequences of their deeds.
The TGF stated in its commemoration message on Monday: `The murderers
and the dark powers behind the Dink murder have not yet been punished,
although years have passed. Hrant Dink, a journalist who was defending
the unity and peaceful co-existence of communities in Turkey, and thus
fighting against racism, was killed by a fascist mindset.'
In its commemoration message, the Turkish Journalists' Society (TGC)
highlighted that the real criminals behind the murder have not yet
been revealed. It said the public conscience, which was damaged by the
murder, can only be recovered after the real perpetrators are punished
in a fair trial.
The Turkish Journalists Association (TGD) stated in its commemoration
message on Monday: `The murderers and the dark powers behind the Dink
murder have not yet been punished, although years have passed. Hrant
Dink, a journalist who was defending the unity and peaceful
co-existence of communities in Turkey, and thus fighting against
racism, was killed by a fascist mindset.'
In its commemoration message, the Turkish Journalists' Society (TGC)
highlighted that the real criminals behind the murder have not yet
been revealed. It said the public conscience, which was damaged by the
murder, can only be recovered after the real perpetrators are punished
in a fair trial.
Dink was shot and killed by an ultra-nationalist teenager. The hit
man, Ogün Samast, and 18 others were brought to trial. Since then, the
lawyers for the Dink family and the co-plaintiffs in the case have
presented evidence indicating that Samast did not act alone. Another
suspect, Yasin Hayal, was given life in prison for inciting Samast to
murder.
http://www.todayszaman.com/national_hrant-dink-commemorated-on-8th-anniversary-of-murder-as-calls-for-justice-grow_370237.html
Jan 19 2015
Hrant Dink commemorated on 8th anniversary of murder as calls for justice grow
by ARSLAN AYAN / ISTANBUL
Thousands of people marched from Taksim Square to the headquarters of
the Agos newspaper to commemorate slain Armenian-Turkish journalist
Hrant Dink, who was shot dead outside his newspaper's office in Å?iÅ?li,
Ä°stanbul, on Jan. 19, 2007, on the eighth anniversary of his
assassination.
The large crowd gathered in Taksim at 1:30 p.m. on Monday and began to
march to the Agos weekly headquarters in Å?iÅ?li, as they have done
every year on Jan. 19 since Dink's murder. They march to express
support for Dink's family and demand justice. Dink's family, friends
and human rights organizations welcomed the crowd on the spot where
Dink was shot dead in Ä°stanbul outside the office of Agos, the
Armenian newspaper where he was editor-in-chief.
Speaking to the crowd from the balcony of Agos, Murathan Mungan, a
famous Turkish poet and author, stated that those who murder Dink
actually murdered the voice of the peace of which they could not
understand. `Hrant spoke a kind of Turkish and Armenian that they [who
murdered him] somehow could not understand. He spoke the language of
peace,' Mungan told the crowd.
`One of the dreams of Hrant Dink was to see the opening of the
Turkish-Armenian border because reopening the border would develop the
two nations' relations and bring misunderstandings to an end.
Reopening of the border would mean the opportunity to start over.
Today, as well as remembering Hrant's memory, we will also remember
his dreams and do everything to bring them to fruition,' Mungan added.
Speaking to Today's Zaman just before the commemoration ceremony
started, Dink's widow, Rakel Dink, stated that although it has been
eight years without Hrant, justice has not yet been served. Rakel Dink
also said that what keeps her strong is knowing that hundreds of
thousands of people share her pain every year on Jan. 19 since her
husband's murder.
The parents of Berkin Elvan, a teenager who died after being hit by a
teargas canister fired by the police during the Gezi protests of 2013,
also attended Dink's commemoration ceremony and greeted the crowd that
gathered outside the Agos headquarters.
Hrant Dink's widow, Rakel Dink (3rd from L) walks with parents of
Berkin Elvan and lawmakers from the CHP and the HDP. (Photo: Today's
Zaman, Turgut Engin)
Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Deputy Chairman Sezgin
Tanrıkulu also participated in the march and spoke with the press
following the ceremony in front of the Agos headquarters. Tanrıkulu
stated that Dink was murdered during the reign of the Justice and
Development Party (AK Party), and therefore the government was guilty
of negligence. `Unfortunately, instead of bringing this murder to
light, the government is trying to lay its responsibility on others,'
Tanrıkulu said in reference to the government's recent efforts to
associate the Dink assassination with the faith-based Hizmet movement,
which is inspired by the teachings of prominent Turkish Islamic
scholar Fethullah Gülen.
Many at Monday's march wore badges and carried placards declaring `We
are here Ahparig!, We are all Armenians. We will not forget.' Ahparig
means `my brother' in Armenian.
A woman looks out of a window near a banner marking the eighth
anniversary of the killing of Hrant Dink in Ä°stanbul. The banner
reads: "We are here, my brother. 8th year" (Photo: Reuters)
Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink was shot by a 17-year-old boy,
Ogün Samast, on Jan. 19, 2007, in front of the Agos office, where he
served as editor-in-chief. In January 2012, Samast was sentenced to 22
years, 10 months in prison by a juvenile court while a court ruled on
life imprisonment for Yasin Hayal on charges of instigating the
murder. Another suspect, Erhan Tuncel, was acquitted of murder
charges.
In May 2013, the Supreme Court of Appeals overturned the court's
original ruling, which dismissed the existence of an organized
criminal network in the case. The lower court, which found no evidence
that a terrorist organization was involved in Samast's assassination
of Dink in 2007, had acquitted the suspects of claims that they had
formed a terrorist organization. The court did, however, say they were
guilty of forming an illegal and armed organization to commit a crime,
prohibited under Article 220 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK).
Thousands of protesters gather outside the Agos newspaper. (Photo:
Today's Zaman, Hüseyin Sarı)
Journalists' unions commemorate Hrant Dink
Leading journalists' unions, including the Turkish Journalists
Federation (TGF) and the Turkish Journalists Association, also
released statements on Monday to commemorate Dink.
Turkish Journalists Federation (TGF) Chairman Atilla Sertel said the
case launched to find the perpetrators of Dink's murder has not
reached a conclusion that satisfies the public even though a long time
has passed since the murder. Noting that justice has not yet been
served despite eight years having passed since Dink was shot to death
in the middle of the street, Sertel said they want the real
perpetrators to be revealed and that they want them to suffer the
consequences of their deeds.
The TGF stated in its commemoration message on Monday: `The murderers
and the dark powers behind the Dink murder have not yet been punished,
although years have passed. Hrant Dink, a journalist who was defending
the unity and peaceful co-existence of communities in Turkey, and thus
fighting against racism, was killed by a fascist mindset.'
In its commemoration message, the Turkish Journalists' Society (TGC)
highlighted that the real criminals behind the murder have not yet
been revealed. It said the public conscience, which was damaged by the
murder, can only be recovered after the real perpetrators are punished
in a fair trial.
The Turkish Journalists Association (TGD) stated in its commemoration
message on Monday: `The murderers and the dark powers behind the Dink
murder have not yet been punished, although years have passed. Hrant
Dink, a journalist who was defending the unity and peaceful
co-existence of communities in Turkey, and thus fighting against
racism, was killed by a fascist mindset.'
In its commemoration message, the Turkish Journalists' Society (TGC)
highlighted that the real criminals behind the murder have not yet
been revealed. It said the public conscience, which was damaged by the
murder, can only be recovered after the real perpetrators are punished
in a fair trial.
Dink was shot and killed by an ultra-nationalist teenager. The hit
man, Ogün Samast, and 18 others were brought to trial. Since then, the
lawyers for the Dink family and the co-plaintiffs in the case have
presented evidence indicating that Samast did not act alone. Another
suspect, Yasin Hayal, was given life in prison for inciting Samast to
murder.
http://www.todayszaman.com/national_hrant-dink-commemorated-on-8th-anniversary-of-murder-as-calls-for-justice-grow_370237.html