ISTANBUL, Turkey (A.W.)–While attention in Turkey was directed towards Israel and the flotilla attack, Hakan Karadag, one of the lawyers involved in Turkish Armenian journalist Hrant Dink’s murder case, was found hanged in his apartment in Cihangir, Istanbul, on June 4. His body was taken for autopsy soon after. The police have not yet released a report on the cause of his death.
During one of the latest hearings of the trial, defendant Ogun Samast, who killed Dink on Jan. 19, 2007, wrote something on a piece of paper. The judge asked for the paper. On it, Samast had scribbled Karadag’s name. Also, according to Today’s Zaman, Samast had told Karadag in court: “You better visit the prison one day,” with a threatening tone. Karadag filed an official complaint with the judge. Samast objected saying he had no intention to threaten him, explaining that he only asked Karadag not to insult him.
In their statements to the press, relatives of Karadag said he could not have committed suicide, and that he “did not have such issues.”
A day earlier, a Roman Catholic bishop, Luigi Padovese, was stabbed to death by his driver in Iskerderun, a port on the Mediterranean.
So where are all the shameless apologists for Turkey who incessantly claim that Turkey has significantly changed because they have supposedly replaced a street sign labeled with a terrorist group’s name (Ergenekon) to that with the name Hrant Dink?????
My comment to you all is this: you are delusional. Your delusional comments and unsubstantiated beliefs put the lives of the rest of us living in Turkey at risk. Shame on the Turkish government and shame on those Armenians that continually get duped into believing the Turkish governments dolma diplomacy and propaganda.
Dear Siamanto, they have not even agreed to replaced the sign, with the justification that changing the street name would complicate everyday operations.
So what’s new. How many more people are going to be sacrificed. The same old song and dance. The Western nations never learn about the “democratic new turks”.
Whose next.
Hye, Turkey in desperation… continues ‘elimination’… any and all things of, for and by Armenians – whom Turks Genocided, slaughtered, raped and worse, as Turks own vile history ongoing, continues -2010. The hordes of the Asian mountains are still on Armenia’s lands and until the Armenians regain their own lands Turks shall never be free of their Ottoman and subsequent leaderships
Genocidal history… which the world knows – Turks delete from their own ‘memory’. Civilized nations observe and know of the Turkish Genocide of the Genocide of the Armenian nation -beginning 1890s ongoing until today, 2010 – still! Only the Turks don’t know Turks committed Genocides – Greeks, Syrians, Assyrians, Armenians since the 19th century, the 20th century and now, into the 2ist century – today the Kurds (whom Turks label as ‘terrorists’ to ease into this next Genocide). And why not? None dare ‘insult’ the Turks… and Genocides continue, ongoing, the cycle of Genocides without end… Sadly.
Manooshag
Now that Israel and Jews are mad at Turkey, too, due to the Gaza ship affair, please think about what we can do. T-h-i-n-k.
This outrageous murder must be made known throughout the world, especially Europe, to show once again the true face of the Turkish State and thier handling the fundamental issues of human life, human dignity, civil rights and rights of ethnic and religious minorities, as well as speaking the truth of the Armenian Genocide that Dink advocated, and for which he, as well as his lawyer were slaughtered by the Turks. Never forget who they essentially are!
Any sympathizer or activist or intellectual who is connected with Hrant Dink murder case, either will be killed, disappeared, or simply will be eliminated ..this is facts of political life in Turkey’s Islamist, Kamalist, leftists… society. Turks proudly call them democracy..of course killing the truth of Armenian Genocide in Turkey is part of Turkish democracy..
I’ve said it long time ago and still insist that everything is in the hands of God’s second in command on Earth, good old USA. If the US administration said NO to Turkey, then things would take their normal course. As long as some of US congressmen and senators have secret deals with Turkey, forget about the Armenian Genocide resolution or any other issue that would hurt Turkey. These are not my words, I’ve heard good old senator Bob Dole condemning the Congress and the Senate saying words alike, and that they had secret tobacco deals from Turkey.
Who’s next in the ‘modern’ society of the ‘civilized’ Turks? Who else would speak the truth about mass extermination of the Armenians, Kurds, Greeks, and Assyrians in Turkey? Even Article 301 of the Penal Code is no longer needed. The authorities will simply give secret orders to shoot or hang all those who dares to raise their voice in support of the truth. The method of killing human beings has become so typically Turkish since their nomadic savage ancestors appeared in Asia Minor with fire and sword from Mongolian steppes and Altay mountains. Nothing has changed.
Why don’t Jews, Armenians and Kurds make an alliance to force international pressure on Turkey?
It seems like the most natural alliance one can think of. Turkey is a country of lies and barbarism. The Turkish mentality is in no way ever going to fit into a civilised world where truth and justice are respected.
Long live Armenians, your plight in Turkey is the same as that of us Kurds!
The genocide continues…
Minas, this is the time for a hard Armenian lobbying in Israel and Jewish comunities in America. Don’t wait!
Armen, this story is completely unknown outside Turkey and Armenia. The world doesn’t care about desputes between 2 peoples that look too much “alike”. It’s hard for people to know a Zulu from a Tutsi in Africa, or who murdered whom in Cambodia. It’s much easier to understand a Jew from a Muslem. The UN is an worthless impotent organization.
Medyan, the war waged on the Kurds by Turkey and Iraq, as well as the Armenian Genocide are well known in Israel. The people of Israel are a furtile ground waiting to absorb Kurdish and Armenian lobbying.
AGAIN THIS PROVES THAT WE ARMENIANS HAVE TO UNITE AND BE ONE.