Hrant Dink to be commemorated in Turkey Jan 19

January 19, 2013 - 13:41 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - A commemoration for Hrant Dink, an assassinated Armenian-Turkish journalist, is scheduled for Jan 19 in the sixth year since his murder, which caused shock and consternation all across Turkey, Hurriyet Daily News reports.

As every year, crowds will march from Şişli to Taksim Square, stopping in front of the offices of Agos, the weekly of which Dink was the editor-in-chief.

The Friends of Hrant Dink organization established in memory of the late journalist has called the event “Buradayız Ahparig!” (We are here, brother) and is preparing to call for justice during the demonstration.

Dink was assassinated on Jan 19, 2007, in broad daylight in front of Agos’ building by Ogün Samast, a 17-year-old Turkish nationalist. After a two-year trial, Samast was convicted of premeditated murder and sentenced to 22 years and 10 months of prison.

The court also ruled that Dink’s murder was not an organized crime despite serious claims that some civil servants linked to the “deep state” were “indirectly” involved, to the dismay of Dink’s family and supporters. However, this court decision was recently challenged in an appeal. The prosecutor’s office of the Supreme Court of Appeals asked the top court to overturn the rulings in Dink’s murder case Jan 10, arguing that there were enough elements to conclude that the assassination was organized.

The Friends of Hrant Dink claim that almost all the civil servants who were involved in the death of the journalist were protected and promoted by the government.

A number of exhibitions, panel discussions and live performances have also been displayed at the Tobacco Warehouse (Tütün Deposu) since the beginning of the week in memory of Dink.

Internationally renowned thinker and linguist Noam Chomsky, who gave a lecture dedicated to Dink on Jan 18, is also expected to participate in the commemoration.