Sputnik News Service
Friday 4:27 PM UTC
OSCE Calls on Turkey to Punish All Those Responsible for Journalist Hrant Dink's Murder
MOSCOW, July 19 (Sputnik) – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Desir called on Turkish authorities on Friday to bring to justice all those involved in the murder of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink, including the masterminds.
On Wednesday, an Istanbul court sentenced seven defendants to various terms in prison over Dink's murder, while two others were acquitted.
"The court decision convicting seven people in relation to the murder of the prominent Turkish-Armenian journalist, Hrant Dink, is a positive step forward, but more needs to be done. I remain hopeful that all others involved in this murder will face justice … It is of utmost importance that the Turkish authorities identify and bring the masterminds of Dink’s murder to justice," Desir said as quoted in OSCE's statement.
The prominent journalist was killed in January 2007 by 17-year-old Turkish nationalist Ogun Samast. Dink was one of the founders and the editor-in-chief of the Agos weekly, which was the only newspaper in Turkey published in Armenian and Turkish languages. The murder caused public outrage as the possible reason behind the crime was the ethnic background of the journalist.