/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly) marked the 2nd anniversary of Hrant Dink murder, the Assembly told PanARMENIAN.Net.

“On the 2nd anniversary of Hrant Dink’s assassination, as we pause to reflect on his life and untimely death, his legacy lives on in Turkey,” said Assembly Executive Director Bryan Ardouny. In December of last year intellectuals in Turkey asked their fellow citizens to sign a petition apologizing to their ‘Armenian brothers and sisters’ for the ‘denial of the Great Catastrophe that the Ottoman Armenians were subjected to in 1915.

“With this petition, its 27,775 signatures, and the millions around the world that call for Turkey to lift its ban on truth, an irrevocable trend continues towards global recognition of the Armenian Genocide. This public apology is a first step in that direction and will inevitably lead to Turkey coming to grips with its genocidal past,” added Ardouny.

In the weeks following Dink’s assassination, then-Senator Joseph Biden, Jr. (D-DE), introduced a resolution in the U.S. Senate, which was passed by the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. S.Res. 65 condemned the murder of Hrant Dink as “a shameful act of cowardice perpetrated with contempt for law, justice and decency” and urged the Government of Turkey to repeal Article 301 and “work diligently to foster a more open intellectual environment in the country that is conducive to the free exchange of ideas.”

Biden commented, “Hrant Dink was a man of strong conviction who wanted, above all, to foster greater understanding and respect between Turks and Armenians. His assassination is one more tragic reminder of why Turkey needs to reform its laws and allow for an open discussion of events surrounding the Armenian Genocide. It should never be a crime to speak the truth.”

In the two years since Dink was murdered by a Turkish ultranationalist, Turkey has still failed to adopt standards and practices that would reverse the prevalence of intolerance, repression and prejudice which led to the assassination. Arat Dink, the son of Hrant Dink, was also convicted under Article 301 for characterizing the 1915 killings of Armenians as genocide.