Echoes of Genocide: Who’s hunting Armenians in Istanbul?

PanARMENIAN.Net - A computer science teacher working for an Armenian school in İstanbul's Kadıköy district was killed on Friday, January 11, Today’s Zaman reported.

İlker Şahin (40), a computer science teacher at Aramyan Uncuyan Primary School, was found dead in his home.

Şahin was living alone in the district's Caferağa neighborhood, and had not shown up at school since the Orthodox Christmas, which is celebrated on Jan. 7. Worried about him, his friends broke down his door and found him dead. His throat had been slit by a knife.

The İstanbul Police Department's homicide bureau determined during their inspection at the scene of the incident that there were signs of struggle.

Şahin's body was taken to the morgue of Göztepe Education and Research Hospital after an examination by experts and a public prosecutor.

Police have launched an investigation into the incident.

Şahin's neighbors told the police that they do not think Şahin had such serious problems with anybody that would lead to his murder. He was a happy and easygoing man, they said.

Şahin divorced three years ago and has one daughter.

Initial reports also said that the police found bullets in Şahin's body.

In the most recent two attacks against Armenians, an 87-year-old Armenian woman in the Samatya neighborhood of İstanbul's Fatih district was wounded by a burglar who broke into her apartment and stole her jewelry along with some other valuable possessions in December. Again in late December, an 84-year-old Armenian woman was murdered in her apartment in Samatya. The act is believed to have been a hate crime because a cross was carved into her chest with a sharp object.