EIGHTEEN GO ON TRIAL FOR DINK KILLING
Deutsche Welle, Germany –
July 2 2007
Eighteen people have gone on trial in Turkey’s largest city, Istanbul,
in connection with the murder of ethnic Armenian journalist Hrant
Dink. The trial began under heavy security, with more than a thousand
protesters gathered outside of the courthouse. A 17-year-old youth has
admitted gunning down Dink outside of the offices of his newspaper
back in January. The youth, who is said to be close to Turkish
ultra-nationalist groups, told investigators that he had killed
Dink because he was an enemy of Turkey. Dink was hated by Turkish
nationalists for calling the mass killings of Armenians under the
Ottoman Empire during World War I genocide. Despite having received
many death threats he was never granted police protection.