"DINK’S MURDER IS ADDRESSED AGAINST TURKISH INTELLECTUALS AS WELL WHO TOUCH
UPON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE ISSUE TO FINALLY SILENCE IT"

YEREVAN, JANUARY 22, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. A number of political
parties of Armenia responded with statements the murder of Hrant Dink, the
editor-in-chief of the "Akos" Turkish language newspaper being published in
Turkey. The ARF, particularly, expressed a confidence that "this nasty crime
is a new threat addressed to rights and existence of Armenians of Turkey for
what the Turkish state and authorities bear complete responsibility." In the
party’s estimation, Dink was killed for his political views: he in his own
manner imagined the civil rights of Armenians as well as of other minorities
in present Turkey, the Armenia-Turkey relations and the issue of the
Armenian Genocide recognition by Turkey, always taking into account and
defending interests of "the civilized" Turkey. But he was persecuted by the
Turkish state for those views. "Dink’s murder once more proves the fact that
the dissidence is not tolerated in Turkey," is said in the ARF Bureau
statement. The "Orinats Yerkir" (Country of Law) party, particularly,
mentions that "Hrant Dink was faithful to his title of a journalist and
sincerity of his pen. He was incarnation of solidarity, tolerance and
minorities’ national dignity in the Turkish society. At the same time
according to the estimation of the party, "the committed regour endangers
the right of free expression and may give birth to great anxieties among the
national minorities living in Turkey." The Social Democrat Hunchakian party
considers that "this shameful crime in which the Turkish society has its
part of responsibility, which, with the anti-Armenian, racial discrimination
carried out by it and policy limiting the freedom of expression, encourages
the nationalist elements of the country for the latters function freely and
without fear." According to the party’s estimation, this crime is addressed
against all those Turkish intellectuals who touch upon the Armenian Genocide
issue to finally silence the latters. "We’ll demand on this occassion from
international structures for they closely observe and are seriously engaged
in revealing all the folds of this political murder. We’ll always demand
from the EU for the Armenian Genocide recognition becomes a precondition for
Turkey’s membership to that structure," is said in the statement.