10 Years Pass Since the Assassination of Hrant Dink

• 01.19.2017, 19:26
•  Region,  Info

Today, on January 19, 2017 marks the tenth anniversary of the assassination of Istanbul-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink.

Born on September 15, 1954, in Malatya, Turkey, Hrant Dink went on to become a journalist who served as editor of the newspaper Agos, which gave a voice to Armenian communities. 

He was a prominent member of the Armenian minority in Turkey. Dink was best known for advocating Turkish–Armenian reconciliation and human and minority rights in Turkey; he was often critical of both Turkey's denial of the Armenian Genocide, and of the Armenian diaspora's campaign for its international recognition.

''If we, the Armenians living in Turkey, do not voice our problem, then who should do it? Not the other states but the very Turkey should recognize the Armenian genocide, it should confront its history, we need to dialogue, whereas we waste unnecessary energy by knocking at the doors of different countries. And we should dialogue with the current new generation, with young people aged 20-25, who, unfortunately, do not know anything about the truth,'' Dink said, according to Iravunk.com.

Dink was prosecuted three times for denigrating Turkishness, while receiving numerous death threats from Turks. Dink promoted a policy of wider integration of Turkish-Armenians into the wider Turkish society. Critical of state injustices, he often underlined the fact that a stronger Turkey would be achieved through the elimination of discrimination. Even after his conviction for speaking of the Armenian Genocide, Dink continued to value his community, city, and country, noting often that his analysis and criticism was in the interest of strengthening the country. He concentrated on the mismanagement of community institutions, tried to promote obtaining rights through legal means, and was always open to compromise, once noting, "After all, Turkey is very reluctant to concede rights to its majority as well."

The Dink murder trial opened in Istanbul on July 2, 2007. Eighteen people were charged at Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 14 in connection with the journalist's assassination. Since the main suspect, Ogün Samast was younger than 18, the hearing was not public. Reportedly, the defendants Yasin Hayal and Erhan Tuncel repeated their testimonies given to the security forces and prosecutor. The court decided to release the defendants Osman Altay, Irfan Özkan, Salih Hacisalihoglu and Veysel Toprak to be tried without remand and adjourned the hearing to October 1, News.am reports.

On July, 25 2011, Samast was convicted of premeditated murder and illegal possession of a firearm by Istanbul's Heavy Juvenile Criminal Court. He was sentenced to 22 years and 10 months in prison, and could be eligible for parole in 2021, after serving two thirds of his sentence. Another suspect, Yasin Hayal, was convicted of ordering the murder and was sentenced to life imprisonment.

In July 2014, the Turkish Supreme Court ruled that the investigation into the killing had been flawed, thus paving a way for trials of police officials and other public authorities. After long court proceedings and appeals, however, a new probe was ultimately launched in the Hrant Dink murder case, and regarding numerous former and serving senior Turkish officials’ complicity in the assassination.

During the recent trial against the state officers in the framework of the case on Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink's murder, former chief of Branch C of the Intelligence Service, Ali Fuat Yılmazer, made a scandalous statement.

Mr Yılmazer announced that Hrant Dink's murder was solved within 3-5 days after the incident but the judicial system ''froze up'' the process.

After this statement, the trial was extended to January 20, 2017.