Hrant Dink: I Will Alarm the Whole World

PanARMENIAN.Net - Editor-in-Chief of Akos newspaper Hrant Dinksentenced to 6 months of conditional imprisonment appealed to the Turkish Supreme Court. Last week Hrant Dink stated, "If the stigma attached to me is not removed I will be forced to abandon this country like my ancestors did. But I will not leave silently like them. I will alarm the whole world." Hrant Dink informed that he received a great number of supporting phone calls and letters from intellectuals and even political figures. To remind, last week the Istanbul court sentenced Hrant Dink to 6 months of conditional imprisonment for demonstrating disregard towards Turks. In his article Dink called upon Armenians not to poison their blood with hatred towards Turks but think about Armenia's future. However the court thought that Dink meant "the poisonous blood of Turks." "I have never outraged any nation. An Armenian will never do such a thing. We do not offend but are searching for our right like I am doing now. I am searching for my right and the right of my ancestors", Dink said. Term genocide was mentioned for several times in his article and this fact, in Dink's opinion has become the reason of his sentence. "However I am not punished and not sent to prison, since it will stir up an international scandal", he said adding that the court examination had the purpose of making him silent. In case Dink fails to justify himself in the Supreme Court he is going to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights. A similar court session is expected as regards writer Orhan Pamuk for statements on the Armenian Genocide. The well-known writer could receive Nobel Prize in Literature, RFE/RL reported.