Hrant Dink

Hrant Dink, born on September fifteenth, nineteen fifty-four, was a distinguished Turkish-Armenian intellectual and a passionate advocate for human rights. As the editor-in-chief of Agos, a bilingual Turkish-Armenian newspaper, he became a prominent voice for the Armenian minority in Turkey, tirelessly promoting Turkish-Armenian reconciliation and the rights of minorities.

Throughout his career, Dink faced significant challenges, including prosecution on three occasions for 'insulting Turkishness.' His outspoken criticism of Turkey's denial of the Armenian genocide and the Armenian diaspora's efforts for international recognition often placed him at odds with nationalists, leading to numerous death threats.

Tragically, on January nineteenth, two thousand seven, Dink was assassinated in Istanbul by Ogün Samast, a seventeen-year-old Turkish nationalist. The shocking nature of his murder, coupled with photographs of the assassin posing with Turkish police, ignited a scandal that prompted investigations and the dismissal of those involved.

In the wake of his death, over one hundred thousand mourners gathered for his funeral, chanting, 'We are all Armenians' and 'We are all Hrant Dink.' His assassination sparked a renewed criticism of Article three hundred one of the Turkish Penal Code, leading to calls for its repeal. In recognition of his legacy, the two thousand seven to two thousand eight academic year at the College of Europe was named in his honor.