Armenian National Committee of Canada
130 Albert St., Suite 1007
Ottawa, ON
KIP 5G4
Tel. (613) 235-2622 Fax (613) 238-2622
E-mail:[email protected]
WWW .anc-canada.org
PRESS RELEASE
January 19, 2006
Contact: Kevork Manguelian
Tel. (613) 235-2622
Canadian-Armenians Condemn the Assassination
of Armenian journalist in Turkey
Ottawa – Outspoken and well-known Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink was
assassinated in front of his weekly newspaper office today. He was shot four
times by a young man. Dink’s body could be seen covered with a white sheet
at the entrance of the newspaper building.
Hrant Dink, publisher and editor of Turkish-Armenian weekly Agos, faced
number of legal cases for openly speaking about the Genocide of Armenians in
1915. Dink was given a six-month suspended sentence in October 2005 after
writing about the Armenian Genocide. He was one of the most prominent voices
of Turkey’s dwindling Armenian community.
Dink, 53, a Turkish citizen of Armenian descent, had received threats from
nationalists who viewed him as a traitor, the Associated Press news agency
reported.
In a recent interview with The Associated Press, Dink wept as he talked
about some of his fellow countrymen’s hatred for him, saying he could not
stay in a country where he was unwanted.
Workers at the newspaper, including Dink’s brother, who has also been put on
trial in Turkey, were in tears as they consoled each other near Dink’s body.
Can Dundar, Dink’s friend and fellow journalist, said he wished Dink had
left the country as he had once promised.
`The assassinated journalist had complained in a letter that he had received
no response from authorities after he had told them about threats of
violence made against him,’ the Turkish TV network NTV reported.
A colleague at Dink’s newspaper, Aydin Engin, said Dink had attributed the
threats to elements in the "deep state," a Turkish term that implies
shadowy, deeply nationalist and powerful elements in the government.
Upon hearing of Dink’s assassination, Fatma Muge Gocek, a Turkish author,
historian, and a friend of Dink, said: ` [we] have lost such a warm,
compassionate friend with a great zest for life who believed so fervently in
the goodness of humankind. Dink spent his unfortunately short life to get
Turkey to reconcile with its past and paid for his efforts with his life.
The dark forces in Turkey took him out but what he has instilled in all of
us will not be quenched: we all will keep him alive.’
Reporters Without Borders said it was deeply shocked by the murder of Hrant
Dink `This murder will distress and disturb all those who defend the freedom
of thought and expression in Turkey and elsewhere,’ the press freedom
organisation said.
Aris Babikian, the executive director of the Armenian National Committee of
Canada, held the Turkish Government responsible for the politically
motivated assassination. `Successive Turkish Governments’ Armenian Genocide
denial policy and the rewriting of history fanned flames of hatred against
Armenians,’ Babikian said.
`In a country where the educational system and the political culture mould
the minds of the people with hatred towards ethnically non-Turkish citizens
and where racist and extreme right-wing organizations occupy a place of
power, this is a sad reminder that things haven’t changed much in Turkey
since 1915. This vile murder proves once again that racism has deep roots in
Turkey,’ added ANCC’s executive director.
`Silencing Hrant Dink proves once again that the genocidal mentality in
Turkey still prevails and the Turkish Government is not interested in
reconciling with the Armenian people and in atoning for its crimes against
Armenians. The Turkish Government should come clean and once and for all
recognize the Armenian Genocide and put an end to the cycle of hatred,’
concluded the Executive Director.
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The ANCC is the largest and the most influential Canadian-Armenian
grassroots political organization. Working in coordination with a network of
offices, chapters, and supporters throughout Canada and affiliated
organizations around the world, the ANCC actively advances the concerns of
the Canadian-Armenian community on a broad range of issues.
Regional Chapters
Montréal – Laval – Ottawa – Toronto – Hamilton – Cambridge – St. Catharines
– Windsor – Vancouver