Deutsche Presse-Agentur, Germany
January 19, 2007 Friday
Ankara must solve murder of Turkish-Armenian journalist, says EU
Brussels
DPA x Turkey Crime Murder EU Ankara must solve murder of
Turkish-Armenian journalist, says EU Brussels
The European Union on Friday urged Turkish
authorities to fully investigate the murder of Turkish-Armenian
journalist Hrant Dink, calling the crime a "brutal act of violence."
Dink was "a campaigner for freedom of expression in Turkey," EU
Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said in a statement.
The journalist, shot dead by an unknown attacker in Istanbul on
Friday, "was a respected intellectual who defended his views with
conviction and contributed to an open public debate," Rehn said.
The EU, which last December partially suspended membership talks
with Ankara over its refusal to recognize EU-member Cyprus, has
repeatedly voiced serious concern over freedom of speech in Turkey.
"I trust that the Turkish authorities will fully investigate this
crime and will bring the perpetrators to justice," Rehn stressed.
Jan 1907 1536 GMT