Kuwait News Agency, Kuwait
Jan 20 2007
Leading Turkish journalist shot dead
MIL-TURKEY-JOURNALIST
Leading Turkish journalist shot dead
ISTANBUL, Jan 19 (KUNA) — An unknown gunman killed on Friday the
editor-in-chief of the Turkish-Armenian weekly Agos, Hrant Dink.
According to Turkey’s NTV, the gunmen shot Dink in front of the
paper’s office in Istanbul, and then fled the scene.
Police forces encircled the area to arrest the murderer whose age
ranged between 18-19 years. Two suspects were arrested and are
currently being questioned.
Hrant suffered fatal wounds and was pronounced dead upon arriving at
hospital.
In 2006, a Turkish Court of Appeals upheld a six month suspended
sentence against Dink on the charge of "insulting Turkish identity."
The charge resulted from an article he wrote urging Turkish-Armenians
to symbolically reject their Turkish identity. He also touched upon
the massacres against Armenians by Ottomans during 1915-1917.
Dink denied any wrongdoing in the article.
Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer said this act was disgraceful,
adding that the criminals will never reach their goal.
On his part, Turkish Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned the
crime, noting that Dink was a victim of an atrocious act that carried
a number of implications.
While denouncing the crime, Turkey’s Foreign Ministry hoped the
perpetrators would be caught as soon as possible.(end) ta.