NEWS CENTER – Agos Newspaper Editor-in-Chief Hrant Dink was commemorated in front of the newspaper building where he was shot on the 17th anniversary of his murder. At the commemoration, the message was given: "We meet here every year today, in spite of those who try to separate us and turn us into enemies, and we shout out, 'Despite fascism, you are my brother, Hrant'."

 

17 years have passed since Agos Newspaper Editor-in-Chief Hrant Dink was murdered in front of the newspaper building on Şişli Halaskar Gazi Street. The stones of the road leading to Dink's murder began to be laid with the article titled "Sabiha Hatun's secret" published in the newspaper about Sabiha Gökçen, who took part in the Dersim Massacre on February 6, 2004. In its statement dated 22 February 2004 on the official website of the General Staff, it found the article "dangerous in terms of national unity, solidarity and values".

 

Following the statement in question, Dink was summoned to the Istanbul Governorship on February 24. Dink was allegedly threatened by Deputy Governor Ergün Güngör and two people with him. The next day, upon the complaint submitted by a person named Mehmet Soykan, a lawsuit was filed against Hrant Dink by the Şişli Public Prosecutor's Office on the charge of "insulting Turkishness".

 

THREAT FROM THE GREY WOLVES

 

The lynching atmosphere created against Hrant Dink after the accusation of "insulting Turkishness" began to grow day by day. On February 26, a group gathered in front of Agos Newspaper and described themselves as members of idealist circles, chanting slogans such as "Be smart", "You will be held accountable". Dink, who was clearly made a target by all these events, was murdered by a "white beret" shooter while he was leaving a bank near Agos on January 19, 2007. 

He shot Dink in the neck in the crowded street and ran away. It turned out that the murderer, whose images were broadcast on television in a short time, was a hitman named Ogün Samast.

 

While the case carried out after Dink's murder was concluded 14 years later, in the case with 76 defendants, a verdict of conviction was given for a total of 26 defendants, including two aggravated life imprisonment, two life imprisonment and various prison sentences. The files of 13 fugitive defendants, including Fethullah Gülen, were separated. Lawyers and his family objected to this decision and considered it as a decision that did not reveal all aspects of Dink's murder and did not pass judgment on those responsible.

 

MURDERER HAS BEEN RELEASED

 

Finally, the hitman of the murder, Ogün Samast, was released after 16 years and 10 months of imprisonment by the Bolu Type F Prison administration, on the grounds that he was of "good behavior".

 

Press releases and events were held on the 17th anniversary of Hrant Dink in Ankara, Adana, Mersin, Hatay, Meletî (Malatya), İzmir, Riha (Urfa). The message "We have not forgotten, we will not forget" was given during the commemorations.