15 Years Since the Shots Fired from Behind Took You Away from Us: 15th Anniversary of Hrant Dink's Murder

On January 19, a commemoration event was held near the former editorial office of the Armenian newspaper "Agos" in Turkey, where Hrant Dink, the renowned Armenian intellectual and editor-in-chief of the publication, was murdered 15 years ago. As every year, Hrant Dink’s wife, Rakel Dink, delivered a speech, stating: "It has been 15 years since the shots fired from behind took you away from us. Your voice still echoes in my ears. Every time you spoke about what was done to your people, you were accused of treachery, of stabbing from behind... You always said, 'Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, do good to those who curse you, pray for those who hurt you.' I pray."

In her speech, Rakel Dink addressed the severe violations of human rights in Turkey in recent years, the attempts to silence opposition and non-governmental figures, and the facts of their arrests. "The voice of rebellion and rejection rising from here when you were laid to rest did not and will not fall silent. The workers, women, students, and villagers are once again in the struggle. One day they will unite again and become a flood," noted the intellectual's wife.

Among those present at the ceremony were Armenian parliament member Garo Paylan, friends and like-minded individuals of Dink, intellectuals, and activists. "We are here and will continue to fight for justice," stated Dink's friends.

Hrant Dink was assassinated on January 19, 2007, in front of the editorial office of the newspaper he founded, by shots fired from behind in a conspiracy. The shooter was Turkish nationalist Ogün Samast, who was only 17 years old at the time of the crime. He was sentenced to 22 years in prison. The organizer of the murder, Yasin Hayal, was sentenced to life imprisonment on January 17, 2012. The real motives and responsible parties behind the crime remain unknown to this day.