Do We Need a Murder for Each Reform?

Hrant Dink was the first victim of the article where the court condemned him of "insulting Turkishness", bypassing every principle of law on the way.

On the wake of the funeral, Chair of the National Assembly Bulent Arınç said that he favors a reform or complete removal of the article.

While marching to the Balıklı Armenian Cemetery, we talked to Prof. Ahmet Insel, musician Onur Akın, journalists Ragıp Duran and Gunnar Köhne, lawyers Tora Pekin and Sezgin Tanrıkulu on the issue.

Ahmet Insel reminded that the authority to change the article belongs to the parliament and the government has not mentioned such an initiative:

"I wait for such murders in order to consider making changes, it seems we have a long way to go".

Onur Akın agrees and blames the establishment: "They eliminate our intellectuals one by one and only then an improvement is made".

He gives the example of Behic Asci, who went on to hunger strike to draw public attention to the inhuman conditions in the maximum security F-type prison facilities.

The government only took a step after 200 days and when he lost his health, the same day when Dink was murdered. "They make you pay at all times", Akın says.

It's not only the article 301, Ragıp Duran adds. A pervasive secession from the nationalist uprising and a steady democratization process is needed, he said.

Gunnar Köhne, who follows the developments related to the article 301 for the German media thinks that the government wouldn't risk removing the article before the general elections in November this year.

Bulent Arinc's declaration is evidence of the government's hypocrisy, says Tora Pekin. Tanrıkulu adds that no reforms would ease the pain after Dink's death.(EÖ/EÜ)