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Voice of America
Jan 19 2007
Prominent Journalist Shot Dead in Turkey
By Amberin Zaman
Istanbul
19 January 2007
A prominent Armenian Turkish journalist was shot dead as he left his
office in central Istanbul on Friday. Hrant Dink, 53, was one of the
most influential voices in Turkey's small Armenian community and a
passionate proponent of the country's membership of the European
Union. From Istanbul Amberin Zaman has details for VOA.
Journalist Hrant Dink (file photo)
Television images from the scene of the slaying showed Dink lying on
the pavement covered with a white sheet outside the office of the
bilingual Turkish-Armenian weekly Agos, which he founded and ran.
The area was cordoned off by police as citizens and journalists
thronged around scene of the crime. The Turkish independent news
channel NTV reported an unidentified teenager wearing jeans and
white cap was among the chief suspects.
[Turkish media are reporting that authorities have arrested three
people in connection with the shooting. Reports say police arrested
two other people earlier but they have been released.]
Turkey's conservative prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, pledged
to bring the perpetrators to justice saying he had ordered his
security services chiefs to investigate the murder.
The attack he said was "leveled against free speech, democracy and
the unity of the Turkish people."
A Turkish citizen of Armenian descent, Dink faced a slew of court
cases over his comments about the mass slaughter of up to a million
Armenians by Ottoman Turkish forces during and after World War I. He
provoked widespread anger in Turkey for having characterized the
killings as genocide. That view is shared by most Armenians and many
historians worldwide. Yet Dink also angered many of his fellow
Armenians by insisting that dwelling on the past served no useful
purpose and would often say he was proud to be a loyal citizen of
Turkey.
Turkey denies that the events of 1915 constituted genocide, saying no
more than 300,000 Armenians perished at the time. Turkey insists most
of the Armenians died from hunger and disease after they were
forcibly deported from eastern Turkey for having collaborated with
invading Russian forces in the last days of the Ottoman Empire.
Anyone who challenges this official version of history risks
prosecution in Turkey.
Many Turkish intellectuals and politicians condemned Dink's slaying,
saying he was a force for peace and reconciliation. Speaking to the
NTV news channel, a Turkish columnist for Agos, Aydin Engin, said he
believes Dink's murder was orchestrated by forces who do not want
Turkey to join the European Union.
The 27-member bloc has repeatedly condemned Turkey for laws that curb
free speech. These are the laws under which Dink, and many other
Turkish writers and academics, have faced prosecution. Camille
Eurlings, a member of the Strasbourg based European Parliament
expressed shock at the killing calling it "unbelievable."
Jan 19 2007
Prominent Journalist Shot Dead in Turkey
By Amberin Zaman
Istanbul
19 January 2007
A prominent Armenian Turkish journalist was shot dead as he left his
office in central Istanbul on Friday. Hrant Dink, 53, was one of the
most influential voices in Turkey's small Armenian community and a
passionate proponent of the country's membership of the European
Union. From Istanbul Amberin Zaman has details for VOA.
Journalist Hrant Dink (file photo)
Television images from the scene of the slaying showed Dink lying on
the pavement covered with a white sheet outside the office of the
bilingual Turkish-Armenian weekly Agos, which he founded and ran.
The area was cordoned off by police as citizens and journalists
thronged around scene of the crime. The Turkish independent news
channel NTV reported an unidentified teenager wearing jeans and
white cap was among the chief suspects.
[Turkish media are reporting that authorities have arrested three
people in connection with the shooting. Reports say police arrested
two other people earlier but they have been released.]
Turkey's conservative prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, pledged
to bring the perpetrators to justice saying he had ordered his
security services chiefs to investigate the murder.
The attack he said was "leveled against free speech, democracy and
the unity of the Turkish people."
A Turkish citizen of Armenian descent, Dink faced a slew of court
cases over his comments about the mass slaughter of up to a million
Armenians by Ottoman Turkish forces during and after World War I. He
provoked widespread anger in Turkey for having characterized the
killings as genocide. That view is shared by most Armenians and many
historians worldwide. Yet Dink also angered many of his fellow
Armenians by insisting that dwelling on the past served no useful
purpose and would often say he was proud to be a loyal citizen of
Turkey.
Turkey denies that the events of 1915 constituted genocide, saying no
more than 300,000 Armenians perished at the time. Turkey insists most
of the Armenians died from hunger and disease after they were
forcibly deported from eastern Turkey for having collaborated with
invading Russian forces in the last days of the Ottoman Empire.
Anyone who challenges this official version of history risks
prosecution in Turkey.
Many Turkish intellectuals and politicians condemned Dink's slaying,
saying he was a force for peace and reconciliation. Speaking to the
NTV news channel, a Turkish columnist for Agos, Aydin Engin, said he
believes Dink's murder was orchestrated by forces who do not want
Turkey to join the European Union.
The 27-member bloc has repeatedly condemned Turkey for laws that curb
free speech. These are the laws under which Dink, and many other
Turkish writers and academics, have faced prosecution. Camille
Eurlings, a member of the Strasbourg based European Parliament
expressed shock at the killing calling it "unbelievable."