Hrant Dink Agos weekly employees marked 94th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide in an intimate ceremony in Istanbul

In an intimate ceremony, around 20 people from an Armenian bilingual Agos weekly of assassinated Turkish Armenian editor Hrant Dink commemorated 94th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide in Istanbul at Hrant Dink’s tomb.

*via Jean Eckian and Nouvelles d'Arménie

Six Armenians in Istanbul’s Municipal Councils

"Five Turkish-Armenian men and one woman have been voted into municipal councils in four district municipal councils in Istanbul", reports Bianet citing Turkish-Armenian Agos newspaper.

Overall, Bianet mentions of 12 Turkish Armenians who entered the municipal election race in Istanbul. Interestingly, among them, there was one mayoral candidate too. But he lost receiving only 0.8% (68 votes).

*photo - via Bianet

2nd Hrant Dink conference in Turkey

Bianet reports that on 16 January Bosphorus University will host its 2nd Hrant Dink Human Rights and Freedom of Expression Conference. The conference is held in memory of Turkish-Armenian journalist, editor-in-chief of the bilingual Turkish-Armenian newspaper Agos, Hrant Dink, who was assassinated in Istanbul on 19 January 2007.

Prominent British human rights lawyer Sir Geoffrey Bindman, chair of the British Institute of Human Rights, will speak on “Freedom of Expression: A Universal Right”.

Bindman was born in 1933 and has been a lawyer in London since 1960. Bindman was legal adviser to the Race Relations Board (1966-73). He then spent ten years as legal adviser to the Commission for Racial Equality until 1983.

Bindman is the author of many articles in the legal profession's journals and in the national press. He has broadcast frequently on his specialist topics. He has represented the ICJ, IBA, Amnesty International and other bodies in human rights missions overseas.

He has received several human rights awards and is a visiting lecturer at University College London and London South Bank University.

Remembering Hrant Dink

1st anniversary of assassination of Turkish-Armenian journalist
London, 19 January 2008

It was small and intimate ceremony right outside the Westminster Abbey, in the heart of London. The place chosen to mark the anniversary of slain Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink was very appropriate for the occasion - the Monument to the Innocent Victims of Oppression, Violence, War.

There were speeches and tributes by representatives of Armenian, Kurdish and Turkish communities. The event was organised by a number of Armenian organisations in London.

In this video from the ceremony - tribute to Hrant Dink by a representative of Turkish community. (Sorry for the quality of sound, there was no loudspeakers there, and this was all I could get from my camera)

There was singing towards the end of the ceremony and release of doves in memory of Hrant. The song was Khatchatur Pilikian's tribute to Hrant Dink. It was very symbolic - Liberty poem by Mikael Nalbandyan (music by Tigran Tchukhadjyan). Organisers distributed a leaflet with English version of the poem. There was very interesting info there I had no idea about:

"Rendered into English, titled as Liberty, by the great artist, writer and translator, Zabelle Boyajian (b. Diarbekir, 1872, d. London, 1957), the first woman artist exhibiting her one-woman show in London; the author of the first epic poem/play, in the English language, of the Sumerian epic, Gligamesh, 1926."

Liberty poem by Mikael Nalbandyan (translated by Zabelle Boyajian) was so appropriate to mark the anniversary of Hrant Dink's assasination, that I decided to re-post it here:

When the God of Liberty
Formed of earth this mortal frame,
Breathed the breath of life in me,
And a spirit I became,

Wrapped within my swaddling bands,
Bound and fettered helplessly,*
I stretched forth my infant hands
To embrace sweet Liberty.

All night long, until the dawn,
In my cradle bound I lay;
And my sobbing's ceaseless moan
Drove my mother's sleep away.

As I begged her, weeping loud,
To unbind and set me free;
From that very day I vowed
I would love thee, Liberty!

*Armenian babies are tied tightly into their cradles when they are put to sleep (Boyajian's own asterisk/notes)

***
A year after the killing of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink, the BBC's Sarah Rainsford in Istanbul finds that the Turkish nationalism he challenged remains a potent force.
"Why was I chosen as a target?" More...

Thousands of people have gathered in the Turkish city of Istanbul to commemorate the murder last year of ethnic Armenian journalist Hrant Dink. More...

***
see also Unzipped: Gay Armenia

Wreath-laying in Memory of Hrant Dink

London, 19 January 2008

You are invited to this event on the first anniversary of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink's assassination

Saturday, 19 January at 1.00 pm
at the Monument to the Innocents
outside Westminster Abbey, London

1 Prayers from the Canon of Westminster Abbey
2 Tributes and Short speeches
3 Reading of portion of Hrant's work
4 Release of dove in memory of Hrant

Organised by Armenia Solidarity, Nor Serount, Armenian Genocide Trust, Seyfo Centre

info: 07876561398

*via http://www.accc.org.uk

Turkish singer and composer on trial for YouTube clip praising Hrant Dink murder

Bianet reports that singer Ismail Türüt and composer Arif Sirin [also known as “Bard” Sirin], as well as two other people are on trial in Turkey charged with creating a clip on YouTube "praising a criminal" and "inciting hatred and hostility". Up to 7.5 years imprisonment are demanded.

The clip which was shown on YouTube was a collage of images referring to the murder of Hrant Dink, accompanied by Sirin's song, with an intent of praising the murder suspects of the journalist.

According to “Agos” newspaper, the prosecution is demanding up to 7.5 years imprisonment for Sirin, Türüt and the two other defendants.

The Istanbul Police Department found out that the clip was put onto YouTube by Hakan Öztekin, who used the nickname “MICHeCK” and Zeynel Abidin Mutlu who used the nickname “dafmaniac” and used an internet provider in Austria.

Öztekin claims that there was no criminal intent in the preparation of the clip, while Mutlu said that it was supposed to be an advertisement.

Clear connection to Hrant Dink murder

However, prosecutor Nurten Altinok came to the conclusion that the clip contained praise of Hrant Dink’s murder and those responsible for it, as well as incitement to violence. The indictment found direct references in the song to the murder of Dink. According to the indictment, the line “Stop ringing (church) bells, stop being pro-Armenian” refer to the mourners at Dink’s funeral who carried placards reading “We are all Armenian”; the lines “If a person sells the homeland, business ends immediately, The sun of the Turk and Islam does not set at the Black Sea” incited hatred and hostility towards people who were not Turkish or not Muslims.

Hrant Dink's son sentenced for father's speech

Forget global politics, here is Turkey's real 'response' to Armenian Genocide recognition. This individual example perfectly shows that, although century-long, Armenian Genocide issue is very current and in a sense never ended in Turkey, taking different forms.

Apparently, I was overly 'optimistic' in my last post in support to Agos newspaper, speculating that Turkish court will not press charges. Why? Yes, yes, Turkey's 'European aspirations'... I wonder what EU's reaction will be? Or is this also "not right time"? It never is, isn't it?

"It's a judicial scandal", says Ozlem Dalkiran, who followed the trial for the Helsinki Citizens Assembly, a European human rights group.

BBC's Sarah Rainsford has more...

***
Reporters Without Borders today voiced “outrage” at a one-year [suspended] prison sentence against the son of murdered journalist Hrant Dink, Arat Dink, editor-in-chief of the weekly Agos, and his editor Serkis Seropyan, using the same law under which his father had been prosecuted.

A court in the Sisli district of Istanbul found Arat Dink and Serkis Seropyan guilty of “insulting Turkish identity” for publishing an interview in Agos which Hrant Dink gave to Reuters in 2006 in which he termed as genocide the massacres of Armenians from 1915-17, remarks for which Hrant Dink was prosecuted at the time. [and later murdered]
***
Bianet:
At one of the hearings, Arat Dink repeated his father's words, saying: "If someone keeps asking me, '[...] tell me, was it a genocide, how would you describe it?', then I cannot deny myself. I cannot deny my history and identity. I said the same thing before and it made the front pages in Turkish newspapers, but no trial was opened. Because at that time there was no operation going on to show me my place..."
Seropyan had said: "I appear as the newspaper owner. If we needed to collect signatures against 301, I would do the same thing again today."

Call to Support Agos Newspaper

The trial of Arat Dink and Sarkis Seropyan under Article 301 continues on 11 October

Amazingly, even after his murder, Hrant Dink (via his son) and Agos newspaper are still being 'tried' in Turkey under the now infamous article 301. Precisely the same article  they were accused of campaigning against. An article which is now a world-wide symbol of state-level oppression of freedom of expression. I do not expect any real charges as a result of these proceedings. It would be too much for survival of Turkey's 'European aspirations' image, which is being badly damaged by the only fact of this trial.

Via Turkish press freedom network Bianet:

The Say Stop to Racism and Nationalism Initiative (DurDe) [Turkey based] has called on people to support the Agos newspaper on 11 October, when its editor Arat Dink (the son of murdered journalist Hrant Dink) and licence holder Sarkis Seropyan attend a hearing at their continuing trial at a penal court in Sisli, central Istanbul.

The trial concerns news items on Hrant Dink's recognition of an "Armenian genocide"  and a campaign opposing Article 301, precisely the Article they are being tried under.

[inverted commas, as in original - I suppose, they were afraid of being tried under the same 'offence', if put Armenian Genocide without that punctuation business. On the other hand, it is no longer unusual to see in Turkish press non-comma references to the Genocide. Still, inverted commas in relation to Armenian Genocide are BBC website's official policy, although over the last week or so I noticed (formal or informal) loosening of that policy.]

Condemnation of Article 301 and Hrant Dink murder trial

In a press statement, DurDe stated that Article 301 needed to be abolished, the murder of Hrant Dink needed to be solved, and racists needed to be brought to justice. The second hearing in the Hrant Dink murder case, which took place on 1 October, was called "shameful".
"The court has not given permission to investigate the police officer who took part in the planning of a murder and whose telephone conversation has been listened to by the whole of Turkey. A police officer who said about Hrant, 'If he's snuffed it, he's snuffed it' is now working next to the former Trabzon Chief of Police. Both have been protected and rewarded."

[A similar statement was issued earlier by Reporters Without Borders. What is important here is that the call is coming from within Turkey's civil society.]