Garo Paylan, the Armenian member of the Turkish parliament, on Wednesday addressed the legislature on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of the assassination of prominent Istanbul Armenian journalist Hrant Dink.
In his remarks, Paylan stressed that Dink's assassination is not solved to this day because of the Turkish “deep state.”
He noted that Hrant Dink was preaching peace, that preaching was influential, and therefore it was problematic for the dark forces.
Garo Paylan concluded his Address in Armenian, saying: "Live long, Hrant Dink! We will not forget you!"
Hrant Dink—the editor-in-chief of Agos, the only weekly published in Armenian and Turkish in Turkey—was shot dead from the three gunshots fired to his head from behind by Turkish ultra-nationalist Ogun Samast on January 19, 2007, in front of the then office of this newspaper—and on national grounds. In 2011, Samast was convicted of Dink's assassination, but questions still remain about the involvement of Turkish state security forces in the case.
In June 2007, Hrant Dink was posthumously given the award of the President of Armenia.