ARMENIAN ASSEMBLY RESPONDS TO ARREST OF TURKISH SOLDIERS IN MURDER OF NOTED JOURNALIST HRANT DINK

armradio.am
13.11.2007 10:13

The Armenian Assembly of America issued the following statement in
response to news reports indicating that two Turkish soldiers have
been arrested and charged with abuse of power in connection with
January’s shooting death of the noted Armenian journalist Hrant Dink.

"We are encouraged that the investigation into the assassination of
Hrant Dink is unraveling the conspiracy that lies behind his shooting
death," said Bryan Ardouny, executive director of the Armenian Assembly
of America. "It was evident from the start that more than a lone gunman
was involved in the plot. The people of Istanbul understood that by
striking down such an outspoken individual, these dark forces hoped
to silence the voices of all those who agreed with Hrant Dink. Turkey
has a long way to go to show the rest of the world that it is serious
about protecting free speech, but today’s action is a step in the
right direction."

The names of the two soldiers have not yet been released but news
reports indicate that the two men, members of a paramilitary force,
each face up to two years in prison for the shooting. The shooting
death of Dink has sparked world-wide condemnation of Turkey for its
antiquated laws that prohibit free speech, including banning anyone
from talking about the well-established fact of the Armenian Genocide
by the Ottoman Turks in 1915. This provision, known as "Article 301,"
has come under fire for giving Turkey cover to harass anyone who is
believed to have insulted "Turkishness."

Ardouny added: "We urge Turkey to abolish Article 301 of its Penal
Code, which is used to muzzle free speech, and rethink its opposition
to the genocide resolution (H. Res. 106) pending before the US
Congress. The resolution affirms the historical truth, and Turkey has
an opportunity to demonstrate that it is committed to taking steps
toward protecting human rights and free speech inside its borders."