'Friends of Hrant' and Nor Zartonk Commemorate Journalist Hrant Dink

Three years after Turkish Armenian journalist Hrant Dink was assassinated in front of Agos newspaper, his friends call out: "We know the murderer, we want justice". For a decent future they claim that Hrant Dink's murder should not be forgotten and that the murderers and the abettors should not get away with what they did.

Journalist and writer Hrant Dink, editor-in-chief of the weekly Agos newspaper publishing in both languages Armenian and Turkish, was killed on 19 January 2007. The journalist will be commemorated in a public ceremony held in front of Agos newspaper in Şişli, Istanbul, on Tuesday afternoon (19 January), the third anniversary of the assassination.

The "Friends of Hrant" group made a public call for the commemoration event and also for the coming hearing of the murder case on 8 February. They have published an announcement in the mainstream newspapers throughout the last couple of days.

"Hrant was killed by a collective official decision"

In the published notice the group once more urged to identify the responsible people within the state and to punish them accordingly, stating that "Hrant was killed by a collective official decision". They declare:

"It has been three years since Hrant Dink was killed and his murderers are still walking around stalking. Three or five people who did the errand were taken to court. The state mobilized the governor, commanders, politicians, judges and prosecutors to prevent an effective investigation. The ones who prepared the ground for the murder continue their duty hard-nosed.

"The people who made this murder possible or turned a blind eye to it, who trained the murderers, who appointed them to official duties, who flew the flag of murder and published images of heroism... They were all protected, taken care of and still serve the state".

"The government who has seen enough justice done for Hrant  might even promote them and appoint them to new ranks.

Taking all that into account, let's ask: WHO IS THE MURDERER OF HRANT?

"And let's give an answer: Hrant was killed by a collective official decision. These rulers are cruel, coward and deceitful. They will not come out, they will not show themselves. Remember the "Cage" plan seized from the maze of the deep state. [The "Cage Operation Action Plan" was supposedly worked out as a coup plan by the Naval Forces, targeting non-Muslims and aiming to charge them of their religious beliefs.] Remember that people referred to the murder of Hrant as an "operation".

"They try to drag us, Hrant's friends, his loved ones and the ones seeking justice, into the same darkness. They want us to remain short-winded between the dusty files of the courts, to become fed up with attending hearings, to lose hopes for seeking justice. We will not stop. We cannot stop".

"Because we know that the future of every single one of us is not is not assured if the 'state's hand' behind the Hrant Dink murder is not brought to justice without hesitation, if all those people involved are not brought to account, the ones who assisted the murderers, who turned a blind eye to it, who swept reports under the rug, the police superiors who treated the murderer like a hero, the gendarmerie commanders, mayors and members of the judiciary who prevented investigations".

"Above all, Hrant left us an honourable ideal of brotherhood. We will come together at the place he was killed on 19 January for the sake of an honourable and trustworthy brotherhood and for justice for Hrant. Join us if you want a just and honourable life dedicated to brotherhood".

Nor Zartonk leads torch march from Taksim to Galatasaray

The Nor Zartonk formation, established by young Turkish-Armenians against war and discrimination after Dink was killed, criticized the lack of advancement in the murder investigation although three years have passed in the meantime. The organization argued, "The truth is as clear as the bright day, but the court could still not reach any results".

The formation participates in the gathering in front of Agos newspaper on Tuesday afternoon. In the evening of the same day (19 January) they will lead a torch march from Taksim Square down the centrally located Istiklal Avenue to Galatasaray Square.

"We know the ones who cherish hate and hostility. We know the ones who prevent the people in this country to live in brotherhood. None of us will attain to comfort until light has been brought into the dark. We know that the people who created this darkness are still stalking on the streets and one day they will hurt us again. For this reason we struggle without being daunted. While they are trying to deceive us, silence, scare and suppress us we have no choice but to continue with our struggle. We will carry on with our struggle as long as the abysmal injustice and exploitation continues". (EÖ/VK)