Armenian National Committee of America
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PRESS RELEASE
January 19, 2007
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918
ANCA CONDEMNS MURDER OF HRANT DINK
— Journalist Killed in Turkey for
Recognizing the Armenian Genocide
WASHINGTON, DC – The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA)
mourns the loss of Hrant Dink, a leading Istanbul-based Armenian
journalist murdered outside the offices of his Agos newspaper today
amid a growing tide of official Turkish government prosecutions and
nationalist pressure to silence his writings on the Armenian
Genocide.
"Hrant Dink’s murder is tragic proof that the Turkish government –
through its campaign of denial, threats and intimidation against
the recognition of the Armenian Genocide – continues to fuel the
same hatred and intolerance that initially led to this crime
against humanity more than 90 years ago," said ANCA Executive
Director Aram Hamparian.
"Sadly, the Turkish government can continue denying the Armenian
Genocide – against all evidence -in great measure due to the
complicity of the U.S. Administration, which, at Turkey’s urging,
works against Congressional legislation commemorating this crime
and has even nominated an Ambassador to Armenia, Dick Hoagland, who
is on record denying that it was a genocide," he added. "Today’s
brutal murder serves as a wake up call to the United States and the
entire international community to unite together in ending forever
the Turkish government’s denial of the Armenian Genocide."
Hrant Dink was featured prominently in the anti-genocide
documentary film SCREAMERS, which was screened before an overflow
Congressional audience on Capitol Hill this past Wednesday.
Representative Adam Schiff (D-CA), Congressional Armenian Caucus
Co-Chairman Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Save Darfur, the ANCA Endowment
Fund, and The Raffy Manoukian Charity sponsored the screening,
which features the Grammy award winning band "System of a Down’s"
international efforts to end the cycle of Genocide. To watch
excerpts of SCREAMERS featuring and interview with Hrant Dink,
visit:
Las t year, Dink was found guilty and given a suspended six-month
sentence in Turkey for "insulting Turkishness," a violation of the
Turkish Penal Code, for his statements affirming the Armenian
Genocide.
In a CNN-International interview earlier today, Hamparian explained
that Dink’s murder was a terrible tragedy, but not entirely a
surprise, in light of the environment of escalating intolerance
intimidation created by the Turkish government against those who
openly acknowledge the Armenian Genocide.
Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA) has called on his House colleagues
to join with him in praising Hrant Dink’s courage in confronting
the facts of the Armenian Genocide, and urging the Prime Minister
of Turkey to repeal the law under which Dink was prosecuted.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress