Thousands Gather in Istanbul to Remember Hrant Dink and Demand Answers

ISTANBUL (A.W.)—Thousands gathered outside the former Istanbul office of the bilingual Turkish-Armenian Agos newspaper in the city’s Şişli district today to commemorate slain Armenian journalist Hrant Dink on the 11th anniversary of his assassination.

Thousands gathered outside the former Istanbul office of Agos newspaper to commemorate slain Armenian journalist Hrant Dink on the 11th anniversary of his assassination (Photo: Eric Nazarian/Instagram)

Dink was assassinated on Jan. 19, 2007, outside of his office. Since then, tens of thousands have gathered every year on Jan. 19 to hold a commemoration event and to demand answers from Turkish authorities regarding his death.

According to reports, placards reading “Justice for Hrant,” “We are all Hrant,” “We are here, Ahparig [little brother],” and other slogans in Turkish and Armenian were held by demonstrators. Reports also indicate that officers closed off streets leading to the office building and allowed those wishing to join the commemoration only after they were subjected to a brief security check.

The Armenian Weekly will be providing additional coverage of the commemoration shortly.

2 Comments

  1. We thank those Armenians & others in Istanbul for not forgetting the assassination of Hrant Dink 11 years ago & for seeking to bring to justice others who where involved in his assassination. Also, the Turkish Government is just as guilty as the individuals who helped in Hrant Dink’s assassination.

  2. Dear Hrant Dink:
    “A Gun Can’t Slay Your Peaceful~Pen”
    I say,
    “The gun cannot kill an honest pen.”
    Gun will soon rust,
    The writing implement will remain
    Forever, forging new thoughts.

    Hrant’s blood is composed
    Of frank ink and pen,
    Thy blood is blue ink—
    Bones are white pens,

    Containing most Armenian DNAs—
    Sweetness, sincerity, seriousness—
    Every genuine cell wanting
    To seek no revenge,
    Asking truthfulness.

    Dink’s DNA will not go in vain
    By few slayers trained to spread blood
    Wherever they stepped.
    Hrant’s honest speeches will echo always
    Thru Agos’ rocks and harmless breezes.

    Dink’s last article reads,
    “Turkish poisons let mix with Armenian kind blood.
    I am a dove spinning between Turks and Armenians.
    Can slayers shun a dove –
    A sign of peaceful shrine?”

    I announce to each human who can’t understand,
    What does humanity stand for?
    Killing anyone, including you, Hrant,
    A peace-seeking man?

    Dear Dink, you tried your best, did not apply to rest!
    You wanted to transfer earth’s hell to safe birthing lay
    Before meeting your soulful slaughtered Armenians
    Who lived thousands of years before the Ottomans.

    You left hell forever to go to seventh heaven,
    Leaving your flesh, but you swore on your soul,
    Sending a message; hence, saying to your populace,
    (Sylva’s feelings on Hrant’s behalf what he wanted to utter …)

    “I couldn’t change inhuman to a kind human
    Before my death, but being an honest Armenian,
    Some fate in me stamped in my genes,
    Voices my chants even after three shots in my head ….”

    Shooting is their triumph,
    Beheading genes for over centuries,
    Still praising their own satanic reign.
    How can you darn a saint’s suit divine
    Even if you’re a dove
    Sending peace messages
    To a struggling fan …?

    Every honest spirit can easily be killed
    If surrounded by slayers masked as faces of men.

    The gunner stamped the ground with your pink-blood
    In a so-called civilized, barbaric, plague land!

    Killing innocents existed for millennia,
    Nothing has changed since!

    Sylva Portoian, M.D, FRCP.CH (UK)
    January 22, 2007
    Modified and will be published in my 18th Poetry collection…
    “Bring Out our Genocided Skulls and Artful Hands, April 2018”

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