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THOUSANDS COMMEMORATE KILLING OF TURKISH-ARMENIAN JOURNALIST
BosNewsLife
Jan 21 2008
Hungary
ISTANBUL, TURKEY (BosNewsLife)-- Thousands of grief-stricken
supporters marked the first anniversary of the killing of Hrant Dink,
a Turkish-Armenian journalist gunned down in Istanbul last year after
criticizing mass killings of predominantly Christian Armenians by
Ottoman Turks and Kurds in the 1915-1917 period.
Demonstrators, many holding black-and-white placards reading:
"For Hrant, for justice", in Turkish, Armenian and other languages,
expressed frustration Saturday, January 19, that the trial of those
allegedly involved in the murder is taking place behind closed doors
because the apparent gunman is a minor.
A total of 19 suspects are on trial, however human rights group Amnesty
International has urged Turkey to widen the investigation into his
death amid reports of alleged complicity of security officials.
Dink said before his death he had received a number of death threats
over his writings. His work also brought him a suspended 6-month jail
sentence under Turkey's article 301, a law that makes it a crime to
insult Turkish identity. The European Union, which Turkey wants to
join, has expressed concerns about the legislation.
JUSTICE MINISTER
In published remarks, Justice Minister Mehmet Ali Sahin said that
work on changes to the infamous Article 301 has been completed and
that a proposed amendment to the legislation will be submitted to
Parliament for debate.
Dink was convicted for an article he penned in the minority newspaper
Agos expressing his views on the mass killings of Armenians at the
hands of the Ottomans since 1915. Up to 1.5 million Armenians,
Assyrians and Hellenic Christians were killed in the 1915-1917
genocide, according to at least a dozen countries. Turkey has both
denied these figures or involvement by Turkish Ottoman in mass murder
and refuses to recognize that "genocide" took place.
Dink, who was the editor of Agos, was shot outside his office on
January 19, 2007, allegedly by a hard-line nationalist teenager
opposing his views. His killing led to international condemnation
and debate within Turkey about free speech. "We are at the pavement
where they tried to clean his blood with soap," Dink's wife Rakel
said in a speech from the office balcony. "You are here for justice
today. A scream for justice rises from your silence." The crowd held
a minute's silence at mark the moment when Dink was shot.
RELIGOUS CEREMONY
A religious ceremony was to be held in the Armenian Church of Mother
Mary on Sunday, January 20, to commemorate Dink. His widow, Rakel,
daughters, Sera and Delal, son Ararat, his brother, Orhan Dink,
and other officials and representatives of Istanbul's tiny Armenian
community were to attend the service. Dinks' murder added to concerns
about attacks against Christians in Turkey.
At least five Christians were killed and several others injured in
attacks within the last two years.
The European Union has complained that Turkey, an EU applicant, fails
to fully protect the religious freedoms of its tiny Christian minority,
which numbers some 100,000 in a predominantly Muslim population of
nearly 75 million people. (With BosNewsLife's Stefan J. Bos).
BosNewsLife
Jan 21 2008
Hungary
ISTANBUL, TURKEY (BosNewsLife)-- Thousands of grief-stricken
supporters marked the first anniversary of the killing of Hrant Dink,
a Turkish-Armenian journalist gunned down in Istanbul last year after
criticizing mass killings of predominantly Christian Armenians by
Ottoman Turks and Kurds in the 1915-1917 period.
Demonstrators, many holding black-and-white placards reading:
"For Hrant, for justice", in Turkish, Armenian and other languages,
expressed frustration Saturday, January 19, that the trial of those
allegedly involved in the murder is taking place behind closed doors
because the apparent gunman is a minor.
A total of 19 suspects are on trial, however human rights group Amnesty
International has urged Turkey to widen the investigation into his
death amid reports of alleged complicity of security officials.
Dink said before his death he had received a number of death threats
over his writings. His work also brought him a suspended 6-month jail
sentence under Turkey's article 301, a law that makes it a crime to
insult Turkish identity. The European Union, which Turkey wants to
join, has expressed concerns about the legislation.
JUSTICE MINISTER
In published remarks, Justice Minister Mehmet Ali Sahin said that
work on changes to the infamous Article 301 has been completed and
that a proposed amendment to the legislation will be submitted to
Parliament for debate.
Dink was convicted for an article he penned in the minority newspaper
Agos expressing his views on the mass killings of Armenians at the
hands of the Ottomans since 1915. Up to 1.5 million Armenians,
Assyrians and Hellenic Christians were killed in the 1915-1917
genocide, according to at least a dozen countries. Turkey has both
denied these figures or involvement by Turkish Ottoman in mass murder
and refuses to recognize that "genocide" took place.
Dink, who was the editor of Agos, was shot outside his office on
January 19, 2007, allegedly by a hard-line nationalist teenager
opposing his views. His killing led to international condemnation
and debate within Turkey about free speech. "We are at the pavement
where they tried to clean his blood with soap," Dink's wife Rakel
said in a speech from the office balcony. "You are here for justice
today. A scream for justice rises from your silence." The crowd held
a minute's silence at mark the moment when Dink was shot.
RELIGOUS CEREMONY
A religious ceremony was to be held in the Armenian Church of Mother
Mary on Sunday, January 20, to commemorate Dink. His widow, Rakel,
daughters, Sera and Delal, son Ararat, his brother, Orhan Dink,
and other officials and representatives of Istanbul's tiny Armenian
community were to attend the service. Dinks' murder added to concerns
about attacks against Christians in Turkey.
At least five Christians were killed and several others injured in
attacks within the last two years.
The European Union has complained that Turkey, an EU applicant, fails
to fully protect the religious freedoms of its tiny Christian minority,
which numbers some 100,000 in a predominantly Muslim population of
nearly 75 million people. (With BosNewsLife's Stefan J. Bos).