Statement On the Case of Murder of Hrant Dink delivered by Ambassador Arman Kirakossian at the 1035th Meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council

22 January, 2015

Mr. Chairman,

We took note of the statement of the Turkish Delegation on commemoration of Mr. Hrant Dink and would like to state the following.

First let me refer to the personality of Hrant Dink, a Turkish Armenian intellectual, editor in chief of bilingual Agos newspaper being published in Istanbul. Hrant Dink was a long standing champion of defending human rights of the Armenian community of Turkey which has been subjected to genocide and further stigmatization throughout the century. His truth seeking efforts made him target of intimidation, smearing, criminal prosecution and finally assassination. His courageous stance on Armenian Genocide earned him indictment under the article 301 of Turkish Penal Code as a criminal offence against Turkishness. The European Court of Human Rights clearly established the liability of Turkish authorities in failing to prevent this murder and after 8 years this attitude of covering up the crime still needs to be overcome.
Second, we took note of some developments in the investigation of the case, although we are concerned that eight years after this heinous crime the masterminds have still not been called to justice. The Delegation of Armenia brought this issue to the attention of the Permanent Council three times, but always was getting advice by the Turkish Delegation not to politicize the issue and wait for the results of legal proceedings. We expect that the Turkish authorities can finally conduct effective investigation into this crime and it will not take another 8 or more years. We would like to see in the mentioned statement of the Turkish Prime Minister expression of the willingness of Turkish Government to bring perpetrators to justice.

We also took note of the peaceful rally organized in Istanbul, in commemoration of murder of Hrant Dink, which clearly showed the public demand for bringing the masterminds of the crime to justice. Regrettably, another rally in Ankara was forcefully dispersed by police.

Now let me refer to some points of the Appeal of the Prime Minister of Turkey. Unfortunately Turkish Government again failed to name annihilation of entire nation in the Ottoman Empire and its perpetrators. Describing Armenian Genocide as “the inhumane consequences of relocation policies essentially enforced under wartime circumstances” is a further manifestation of policy of denial. The propagation of this approach in the statement commemorating Hrant Dink who dedicated and eventually sacrificed his life to fighting this policy of denial is certainly regrettable.

We assess the sincerity of the Turkish authorities to promote dialogue and friendship between Armenian and Turkish peoples by concrete actions. In this regard the invitation from the President Erdogan to President Sargsyan to jointly celebrate the victory of the Ottoman Army on the very day of the centennial of the Armenian Genocide, April 24, discredits calls of Turkish Government for a new beginning.

Thank You.

MFA RA
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