National Assembly of RA, Armenia
Feb 9 2007

Statement of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia

The National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia strictly condemns
the treacherous assassination of Hrant Dink, editor-in-chief of the
weekly `Agos’ and assessed the crime as a crime against freedom of
speech, human rights and the representative of the Armenian minority.

Expressing its indignation, the National Assembly of the Republic of
Armenia states that the premeditated inhumane crime left very deep
roots caused by the nationalistic circles of Turkey as a result of
disseminating anti-Armenian propaganda. Negation of its own history
at the level of Turkish authorities, wide dissemination propaganda of
the denial of the 1915 Armenian Genocide, as well as the unleashing
of criminal persecutions towards numerous intellectuals, who raised
that issue, caused a desire in the minds of nationalistic circles to
silence the voice of freedom with such crime.

At the same time we express our concern on the latest developments
regarding this heinous crime. After Dink’s assassination the public
outbreak today has already being replaced by the reverse tendency –
the Turkish nationalism, hatred against other nations, making a hero
the criminal is being revived again, and as a result, the threats
addressed to the newspaper edited by Hrant Dink, free-thinking people
and the Armenians gather momentum.

The disclosures of this crime are of concern and need to be
thoroughly examined, and according to them, the law enforcement
bodies knew beforehand and did not try to prevent the assassination.
Today, the necessity of the disclosure of the whole crime, including
those who ordered it, is vital.

The National Assembly states: this assassination once again
reiterated the reality that for the establishment of the atmosphere
of two peoples’ mutual trust, the reconciliation with its own history
and recognition of the 1915 Armenian Genocide by Turkish authorities,
as well as the implementation of the demand of the international
community of abolishing the Article 301 of the Criminal Code that
enables to violate the free speech and similar developments, is a
matter of present interest.